Austin Butler is an American actor who started his career starring in dramas and short series like many others in the industry. He had a big break from his monotonous roles after he starred in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. But despite his huge role in the movie, Austin Butler is widely known for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in the movie Elvis.
Butler, during his early teenage days, used to look up to Leonardo DiCaprio as he was the talk of the town with his blockbuster movie Titanic and he used to think about what one would have to do to reach the level DiCaprio is at. But currently, Austin Butler is also a very successful actor in the Hollywood industry after his star roles in multiple blockbuster movies and series.
Austin Butler’s Jealousy Towards Leonardo DiCaprio
Austin Butler in his mid-teenage days had his admiration for Leonardo DiCaprio sky-high as he successfully turned his career from bits to a multi-million dollar one in his early 20s with multiple blockbuster movies in his time. Butler especially looked up to DiCaprio because he portrayed Jack Dawson in the first multi-billion dollar movie, Titanic. Leonardo DiCaprio’s self-made fame and career were something Butler was insanely jealous of. During an interview with Vanity Fair, he shared that,
“I remember being younger, 16 or something, and comparing myself to what I saw in Leo’s career when he was 19 or something, Gilbert Grape and The Basketball Diaries and then Titanic”
Also read: Elvis Star Austin Butler Reportedly Joins the MCU as Fantastic Four’s Human Torch
Butler shared that when the Titanic actor was of his age, he had already made a name for himself in the vast Hollywood industry where everyone was continuously in a cut-throat competition to star in a blockbuster movie. Austin Butler further shared that when DiCaprio was this famous at his age, Butler was performing minor roles in dramas and sitcoms.
‘Oh, maybe this will never happen or I’ll never have those opportunities.’
And as he got older, he came to realize how big a dream he was dreaming and how far he has to climb to reach his level. Though he currently is on a very safe platform where he secured his position in the Hollywood industry.
Austin Butler Fame Rose After His Starring in Elvis
Austin Butler had his share of fame from his portrayal of Elvis Presley in the movie Elvis and he claims that he has been very lucky to get an opportunity for casting him in such an important role in the movie. Butler also shared that, after he had played Elvis, he started viewing Hollywood in a completely different manner and he thanks the entire production team.
‘It was a surreal thing, looking back at what my dreams were when I was 15, and then working with the people he got to work with, being on set with him. I’ve had a lot of these pinch-me moments in my life and this was definitely one of them.
When you’re a child actor, you see a lot of people come from Texas or whatever and at a certain point they might leave or move back. We are very lucky to have a career in this industry for this amount of time.”
Elvis with an estimated budget of $85 million amassed a total of $287 million at the box office and was on the receiving end of multiple accolades. The movie has won eight nominations in the latest Academy Awards and Butler has also won numerous awards which include a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, and a People’s Choice Award for the Drama Movie.
Elvis is available for streaming on HBO Max.
Source: Vanity Fair