Austin Butlerhas been around for years but you may not have realized that.
Since then, Butler has slowly built a career in prestigious projects.
In 2024, he landed yet another major role Feyd-Rautha in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” sequel.
Butler has certainly come a long way from shy teen actor to Oscar-nominated A-lister is an impressive journey.
Let’s look back at Butler’s transformation to see how it all happened.
However, even as a child actor, he was actually painfully shy.
Raised in California, Butler was a “wallflower” as a child.
“I really didn’t mix with other children,” he confessed toHollywood Authentic.
“I spent a lot of time in my room playing the guitar.”
Butler discovered acting when he was around 12.
For the shy young boy, acting gave him the tools to open up and overcome his shyness.
He was, however, close to members of his family.
“I grew up very close to my mom and my sister,” he toldInterview Magazine.
“It’s about human connection.”
Butler’s mother sadly died in 2014, but he continues to honor her memory.
“I love my mom.
After a few acting classes, he started auditioning for speaking roles.
At first, it was slow going.
“I remember the days of being so grateful to just book one line on a TV show.”
“I had so many years of really bad acting.”
“Addiction might be a strong word, but obsession with finding honesty, really.”
Butler moved to the West Village in New York City for the role.
“I never pictured myself on ‘Sex and the City,'” he said.
Nevertheless, he was grateful for the experience.
As he later toldEsquire, “That was my schooling.
I wouldn’t be here without all of that.”
“I would come back for two weeks, and I’d see fourteen plays,” he toldEsquire.
As Butler’s passion for theater grew, he began to rethink his entire career.
“I didn’t work for eight months.”
It was, he told Esquire, “exactly what I wanted to do.”
However, at first he thought he didn’t have a chance.
However, to his surprise, he landed the role.
It was a huge hit, and Butler was the breakout star.
Suddenly, he was respected as a “real” actor.
For Butler, breaking into the theater world paved the way for other acting opportunities.
First came Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time…
The role of Rooster in “Top Gun” went to Miles Teller instead.
But by all accounts, it all happened as it was meant to.
Butler was thrilled to work on a more serious project and with the legendary director.
And it was just always my dream to work with him.”
In 2020, the pair announced that they had separated.
At the time, Butler took a philosophical approach, seeing it as an opportunity for growth.
Later, Butler came under fire for referring to Hudgens as merely a “friend.”
He went on to say, “I have so much love and care for her.
It was in no way trying to erase anything.”
In the video, he wore a dressing gown.
“Was it an audition?
Or was he having a breakdown?”
said Luhrmann toGQ, remembering his initial reaction to the strange video.
After a live audition, though, Luhrmann was sold.
Butler threw himself into the role.
He began researching, looking through photos and video footage.
After playingElvis Presley, Butler began to look at his own career in a new light.
“Because there’s a lot of loneliness in Elvis’ life.
So now I feel like I’m so much more aware of those things.
At first, Butler began mimicking Elvis' famous low, Southern voice.
To get it perfect,he listened to all of Elvis' recordings that’smore than 700 songs.
He also spent much time in isolation.
“During ‘Elvis,’ I didn’t see my family for about three years.
I had months where I wouldn’t talk to anybody.
“I was speaking in his voice the whole time.”
The pair were first spotted together leaving for vacation.
They then spent Valentine’s Day together in London.
“It was legendary,” he said of the shoot toEntertainment Tonight.
“It was amazing.
I loved getting to see that.
What an exciting cover.
I loved it.”
His co-star, Tom Hanks, pitched him the project.
You’ve got Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman.”
In fact, he needed professional help to do that.
“I had a dialect coach just help me not sound like Elvis,” he confessed.
The character is bloodthirsty and “psychotic,” according toFlorence Pugh’s character, Irulan.
“I made a conscious decision to have a boundary.
Villeneuve added, “When the camera was off, you were still maybe 25 or 30% Feyd.
We can’t wait to see what other memorable characters he brings us in years to come.
