Los Angeles, Oct 19 (IANS): Director Peter Segal claims wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista surprised him with his acting depth while working on the upcoming action-comedy, "My Spy".

"I am thrilled that we made the right choice in casting Chloe Coleman with Dave. I really wanted an opportunity to work with Dave Bautista. He has so much to his acting and I think with 'My Spy' people are really going to see and get surprised.

"Initially, with Dave, I knew what I was getting but he still surprised me with his depth and range. But it would have been a totally different story had we not cast Chloe. She makes the movie really what it is," Segal said.

Talking about the casting process, the director said: "Dave perfectly fits the bill of a CIA corporative and it felt very real. To find a complete opposite of him in Chloe Coleman was a dream for me. With child actors it can go either way. But Chloe is a real deal."

He also revealed that they "had very easy natural chemistry".

"My Spy" is about a hardened CIA operative and his unlikely nine-year-old sidekick. The film also stars Ken Jeong, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Nikki Hahn, and Devere Rogers, and has been released by PVR Pictures on October 16.