Austin Butler‘s hands are shaking a little as he sits on the couch for an interview with talk show host Jimmy Fallon. “I can’t believe I’m here talking about playing Elvis Presley. That’s crazy,” says Austin Butler. He, the shy boy from California, who dreamed of working with the greats of the film industry, has made it: He’s playing his first leading role – and embodies none other than the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll himself.
The rise of an actor, who until then had only been in front of the camera for Disney productions, teen comedies, and small supporting roles, could hardly be steeper. Like climbing Mount Everest. That’s how he felt after getting the role in the biopic Elvis. Because Austin Butler wanted to do justice to the life and legacy of the world-famous musician – at any price.
In the wake of filming “Elvis,” Austin Butler had lost track of his own identity
For three years he immersed himself in the world of Elvis, listened to his music, trained in the legendary swing of his hips, and learned to speak and sing like Elvis. A sad but connecting element: Both artists lost their mother at the age of 23. That helped him to see the human side behind the fictional character Elvis. The identification went so far that after filming, he no longer knew who he was, as Austin Butler explained in an interview. His body didn’t cooperate anymore and he ended up in the hospital.
The obsessive dedication cost the young actor dearly, but it’s now paying off. When it premiered in Cannes, the film was celebrated about the complex relationship between Elvis and his domineering manager Colonel Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks. After the theatrical release on Thursday, the work was also praised in this country. Even Priscilla Presley, who was married to Elvis for six years, called Butler’s performance “outstanding”.
In Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Butler is featured
Since then, the 30-year-old has been considered Hollywood’s new shooting star, who is often compared to James Dean or the young Leonardo Di Caprio. He has the necessary sex appeal: blue eyes, a charming smile, a teen heartthrob straight out of a picture book.
Butler, who grew up near Los Angeles, isn’t lacking in talent either. He’s sure of his next big role. In the second part of the science fiction film series “Dune,” he is supposed to play the villain.
Butler first appeared in front of the camera when he was thirteen. After appearing in teen shows like Hannah Montana and the Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries, he landed a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino’s star-studded Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019. The role as Elvis has now catapulted him to the top. Austin Butler is still a long way from the success of the music legend, but he now deserves a touch of his fame
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