The internet has been freaking out over Austin Butler’s recent Oscar nomination. His astounding performance in the 2022 biographical drama Elvis has been turning heads worldwide. Butler and his acting career have definitely come a very long way. Looking back on his experiences, the star revealed that while working on one particular TV show he would “go home and cry.”
Austin Butler is known for many TV shows and movies
Butler, a California native, was born in August 1991. As the story goes, he was walking around at the Orange County Fair when he was approached as an acting management representative. This ultimately led Butler to take acting classes and begin his journey as an actor.
His debut role came in 2005. Nickelodeon fans probably remember him as Zippy Brewster in Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide. A few years later, in 2007 the young actor was featured in iCarly, another Nickelodeon favorite.
Becoming a seeming staple of the network, in 2010 Butler landed a recurring role on the infamous Zoey 101. He was pretty well known on Disney Channel as well. The star appeared in some of the network’s popular series like Hannah Montana and The Wizards of Waverly Place. From CSI: Miami to The Carrie Diaries, Butler showcased his talents and skills in his wide variety of roles.
However, the actor didn’t just limit himself to TV. Aliens in the Attic marked Butler’s big-screen premiere. The Intruders, Yoga Hosers, and Dude are a few other movies the star took on over the next few years. More recently, he was cast in The Dead Don’t Die, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and, of course, Elvis.
As his impressive IMDb page shows, landing parts clearly haven’t been an issue for Butler, but he did recently open up about a tough time while working on one particular show.
Austin Butler would ‘go home and cry’ while working on one TV show
In 2022, Butler sat down with some of Hollywood’s favorite and top A-listers for The Hollywood Reporter.
During this conversation, Butler how his mother’s death made him rethink his acting career. The actors recounted, “I thought ‘Is [acting] a noble profession at all? Should I be doing this or should I give myself in some way that can help people who are dealing with cancer or something like that?’”
Almost immediately after his mom died, Butler had to leave for New Zealand to begin shooting his next project, The Shannara Chronicles. Despite the sci-fi show’s exciting nature, he shared that he found himself going home and crying every night.
Butler acknowledged that his mother’s death and grief played a role, but he explained that grappling with acting and his purpose also played a part. He decided to take some time off. Ultimately, this led Butler to more turmoil. Fortunately, with the help of his agent and acting coach, he was able to land his next role in the play The Iceman Cometh.
In retrospect, Butler shared “that’s the moment that changed my career”. With the clarity and inspiration he was looking for, he has definitely shown Hollywood what he is all about.
Austin Butler’s upcoming projects
Even though everyone is very much so talking about his performance in Elvis, many of Butler’s fans and followers are wondering what is next for the star.
Looking ahead, The Bikeriders and Dune: Part Two are two upcoming flicks audiences can look forward to seeing Butler in. In addition, Butler was recently cast as Major Gale Cleven in the mini-TV series Masters of the Air.
