Dave Bautista is 'awesome,' raves his 'Stuber' costar Kumail Nanjiani

Dave Bautista, left and Kumail Nanjiani team up in the film 'Stuber.'

On a promotional tour for his latest movie Stuber, Kumail Nanjiani appeared on The Late Show, hosted by Steven Colbert when Nanjiani couldn't heap enough praise on his costar Dave Bautista.

During the filming of the movie, costars Bautista and Nanjiani became close friends. Nanjiani said of his Filipino American costar. "I talk to him every day," he admitted.

Stuber is part of the wave of movies launched last August by the critical and box office success of Crazy Rich Asians featuring Asian American actors as the lead protagonists.

Naniani was effusive in his praise for his costar Dave Bautista, whom he described as "the sweetest guy." As an example of Bautista's thoughtfulness, the Pakistani American comedic actor told the amusing story how at the end of fiming Stuber, Bautista bought gifts for the entire crew. Nanjiani was put in an embarassing predicament because he had not bought any gifts for anybody.

A synopsis of the action-comedy: When a mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer, he’s thrust into a harrowing ordeal where he desperately tries to hold onto his wits, his life, and his five-star rating. Directed by Michael Dowse, this action-comedy from 20th Century Fox also stars Iko Uwais, Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Jimmy Tatro, Mira Sorvino, and Karen Gillan.

Nanjiani and Bautista have become bigger names over the past five years, thanks to their work on the big and small screen alike. Nanjiani broke with his role in HBO’s hit comedy series Silicon Valley and has since landed an Oscar nomination for co-writing  and starring in The Big Sick. 

Similarly, Bautista has gone from being a WWE wrestling icon to a full-fledged movie star because of his portrayal of the alien Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.

Stuber will be released to theaters this summer, July 12.

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