Whether you’re talking about his leftover, low southern drawl from Baz Lurhman’s ‘Elvis’ or his recent bald-headed appearance in ‘Dune: Part Two’, Austin Butler commits himself to every one of his roles!
Elvis
Beginning with the movie that made Austin a household name, the 32-year-old actor made an unforgettable impression on director Baz Luhrmann after submitting a video of his performance of “Unchained Melody,” wearing a dressing gown throughout the video.
With Luhrmann’s blessing for the role of The King of Rock’n’Roll, Butler dove head first by researching archival photos and video footage for his portrayal of the musical icon! As for the memorable voice that brought the film to life, Butler went to great lengths to perfectly emulate the cadence of Elvis Presley, listening to over 700 of his original recordings!
No Elvis impersonation would be complete without capturing The King’s signature voice and guitar playing skills, which Austin was up to the task for! Having taught himself to play both the piano and guitar at 13-years-old, Austin put these skills to the test in his preparation for his scenes, rocking out!
In perhaps his biggest commitment to the role of Elvis, Austin would adopt a southern drawl that he’s only recently began to stop speaking with. The explanation for his enigmatic voice–being stuck in Australia during the COVID-19 lockdown and with nothing but time to perfect the voice and mannerisms of Elvis!
Masters Of The Air
With an academy award nomination for his performance as Elvis, Austin has since taken on the role of Major Gale “Buck” Cleven in Apple TV’s Masters of The Air. In the weeks before Elvis wrapped production, Butler’s co-star Tom Hanks took him to dinner to pitch him the role of Maj. Gale “Buck” Cleven in Hanks’ and Steven Spielberg’s collaboratively produced World War II series!
Just a week after wrapping on Elvis, Austin arrived in the U.K. alongside his leading men costars: Callum Turner, Barry Keoghan, Anthony Boyle and Nate Mann– braving two weeks of WWII bootcamp with lessons on marching, dancing, etiquette and history from the 1940s.
In addition, Austin was drilled on cockpit procedures such as takeoff and landing, as well as emergency scenarios when an engine catches fire! Speaking of the cockpit, our favorite fighter pilot was spun around in a gyroscope, meant to emulate dodging turret fire at 30,000 feet in the air, for up to eight hours at a time!
After breaking one of his ribs in a fight scene, Austin showed absolute commitment to his role by continuing to fight and even struggling to breathe from the enduring pain! Talk about sticking to the script, broken bones and all!
Dune: Part Two
If you thought Butler’s commitment to the role of Elvis Presley couldn’t be matched, then you haven’t seen his cold-blooded portrayal as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Dune: Part Two! Elvis is no longer in the building after the bald cap and sharp black teeth come on–made all the more ominous by his dead-eyed stare and creepy vocal impersonation of Stellan Skarsgard.
Austin Butler talks about getting a direct offer for the role of Feyd-Rautha in DUNE: PART TWO from Denis Villeneuve himself, preparing for the role and working with Timothée Chalamet. pic.twitter.com/KQTyTkNHQB
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) December 8, 2022
“Show me who you are.” #DuneMovie only in theaters Friday. Get tickets now. https://t.co/mPzXX2Xq7b pic.twitter.com/YKJIhAcQb0
— DUNE (@dunemovie) February 29, 2024
Offered by director Denis Villeneuve without an audition for the role of Feyd, Austin spent the next four months training and getting his body into shape for an imposing look as the villainous sci fi character. The final result makes for one terrifying appearance and performance from this devoted actor, screaming and lunging at his opponents with a knife during scenes of combat!
