Former Kratos turned down God Of War for health reasons, hopes Bautista stays healthy
Christopher Judge, who voices Kratos in three God Of War games, explains how Stargate taught him bulking up to play a god isn't all it's cracked up to be.
The God Of War TV series, developed by Prime Video, has faced numerous challenges during its production. Initially, Ryan Hurst was set to portray the iconic character Kratos, but a production-related injury forced him to recede from the role. Dave Bautista, known for his muscular physique, was ultimately cast in the lead. Among those who voiced the character in previous games, Christopher Judge expressed his satisfaction with Hurst's choice, stating that "who better" than him could play Kratos.
However, Judge voiced concerns about Bautista's health, considering his recent weight-loss history. "When I heard the name of Bautista, I thought, 'Didn't he just lose like 100 pounds?'", Judge remarked, expressing his hope that Bautista would remain healthy throughout the filming process. "I think he's going to be great. I just hope it doesn’t cause any health issues to put back on all that weight."
Judge himself had previously declined the role, citing his age and the physical demands of the character. At 62 years old, he felt that the constant dieting and rigorous workout regimen wouldn't be worth the strain on his mind and body. A few years ago, he had auditioned for the role while preparing for his role in the popular sci-fi series Stargate SG-1. The physical demands of that role, combined with his extensive memorization of lines, made him realize that he didn't want to go through that again at his current age.
Judge expressed his gratitude that Bautista, who is relatively young at 57, would take on the challenge and hoped that Bautista would stay healthy during the filming of the series.
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