Chapman can't help falling in love with Austin Butler
On March 1, Academy Award nominee Austin Butler joined a Chapman University audience for a Master Class moderated by Scott Feinberg, which came directly after a screening of "Elvis." Photos by Meg Hipp
After six months of learning Elvis' signature hip-thrusts, singing "Unchained Melody" along with any other Presley song imaginable and conducting several screen tests, actor Austin Butler thought the role of the King of Rock 'n' Roll was in his hands.
But when he realized that the part still hadn't officially been handed to him on a platter with a peanut butter and banana sandwich, the fear sunk in. The anxiety of not being good enough or not having enough experience raced through his mind. But then in the early hours of one morning, his phone rang. It was director Baz Luhrmann offering him the opportunity of a lifetime.
"He called and said, 'I just want to be the first person to say, are you ready to fly Mr. Presley?'" Butler said.
Needless to say, Butler did not just fly, but soared into the public eye as soon as "Elvis" hit the theaters back in June 2022.
While the future for Butler consists of "Dune 2" and a possible Oscar in his hand, he said that what truly matters is the fact that Elvis' dream to "never be forgotten" is fulfilled and that all audiences find resonance with his story through this film.
Along with discussing the trajectory of his career, Butler joined an audience of Chapman students on March 1 for a Master Class to disclose his dedication to the craft, his career shifts from Nickelodeon to theater and the recognition he has received from his portrayal of the music icon.
The Master Class, which was held in the Folino Theater, was moderated by Executive Editor of Awards at The Hollywood Reporter and trustee professor Scott Feinberg and was preceded by a screening of "Elvis," which earned a total of eight Academy Award nominations — including Best Picture and Butler in the Best Actor category.
The beginning of the conversation started with Butler's childhood down the road in Anaheim, as Feinberg surprised him with a clip from the Orange County Archives of a 4-year-old Butler at the beach with his mom. Despite being so shy he had to whisper to his mom what he wanted to order at a restaurant, acting was a passion from the very beginning. He was always inspired by the filmmaking process, with "Pulp Fiction" and "A Streetcar Named Desire" sticking out as his favorite films.
As Butler began to immerse himself in the production process, he stepped onto his first set — a Welch's grape juice commercial. His mother saw the excitement in his eyes and aided him in pursuing his dreams — whether that was driving him to acting class or serving as a constant cheerleader.
"When she saw this passion in me, she embraced it whole-heartedly," Butler said. "I wouldn't be here without her."
Once Butler had made a name for himself in the Nickelodeon and Disney community, with performances in "Hannah Montana," "Zoey 101" and "iCarly," he packed his bags and headed to New York City to work on "The Carrie Diaries" — a spin-off to "Sex and the City."
While in the midst of "The Carrie Diaries," Butler's mom passed away from cancer. This grief forced him to step back from acting and reevaluate his career path.
"It's hard to process grief while working a lot," Butler said. "I realized there was a different direction to go — there was a certain type of work I wanted to be doing. As I was watching films, it made me realize why I love this and am privileged to be a part of this community. So I doubled-down on being an actor."
During this time, Butler would read 14 plays in two weeks and even bought a camera to pursue directing. Using that very camera, Butler self-taped an audition for a role in theater, which had become his newest love. That audition led to him receiving the part of Don Parritt in "Iceman Cometh," allowing him to work directly alongside Denzel Washington.
While performing sometimes up to eight hours a day for 14 weeks, director Quentin Tarantino witnessed Butler's talent and asked to meet with him for an upcoming film. After a 12-hour long audition, Butler accepted the role of Tex Watson in the 2019 film "Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood." Butler’s most iconic line in the film — "I'm as real as a doughnut, motherfucker," — was actually improvised. Tarantino wanted Butler to say "real as a bullet" and someone on set misheard it as "real as a doughnut."
Even though Butler secured the part of Elvis Presley in 2019 and headed to Australia to commence production, filming was delayed over six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Instead of flying back home, Butler stayed in Australia to focus solely on Elvis — with a poster mapping out Elvis' life pinned to his apartment wall and recordings of Elvis' laugh that Butler would listen to while walking on the beach.
Once filming began, Butler still did not feel like the preparation was enough and the imposter syndrome kicked in. The first scene filmed was Elvis' 1968 Comeback Show, a pivotal point in his musical career. While his nerves kicked in, Butler found comfort in the similarities he and Elvis share — not only did their mothers both pass away when they were at the age of 23, but they both experienced fears of not succeeding before this very performance.
"This terror that I could let everyone down… you don't get many chances like that in your career," Butler said. "I could rest in the fact that Elvis' career was on the line. I knew that terror was not a bad thing. I'm looking at the black leather on my arms and the set that looked identical to real life, and I'm transcended."
While the future for Butler consists of "Dune 2" and a possible Oscar in his hand, he said that what truly matters is the fact that Elvis' dream to "never be forgotten" is fulfilled and that all audiences find resonance with his story through this film.
"It's so much more of a rollercoaster than I could have imagined," Butler said. "I truly didn't think anyone would like the film. You give everything to every role, but the reception I have received from fans who have been generous in giving their love — that means so much to me. I know (Elvis) is looking down somewhere and being very pleased right now that his legacy is more alive than ever, and I feel very privileged to be a part of that."
Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Master Classes are available to all Chapman students and alumni. Seats are available either on a first-come, first-served basis or by lottery system depending on the Master Class. Dates, times, upcoming guests and additional information can be found in the lobby of Marion Knott Studios or on the Dodge College Instagram account.