The Transformation Of Austin Butler From Childhood To 32 Years Old
With his dashing good looks and intense dedication to acting, Austin Butler's ascent to the Hollywood A-list has seemingly happened overnight. With his celebrated turn as Elvis Presley in 2022's "Elvis" and roles in blockbuster movies such as "Dune: Part Two," it's easy to forget that Butler's stardom has been years in the making.
You may have forgotten Butler's television roles in a number of Nickelodeon and Disney Channel series, but his humble roots on the small screen laid the groundwork for his life, both personally and professionally. Stints on shows like "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide," "Wizards of Waverly Place," and "Hannah Montana" not only opened the door to bigger acting gigs like co-starring in the 2009 movie "Aliens in the Attic," but he also met his long-time love, Vanessa Hudgens, through the teeny-bopper acting circuit.
Ambitious and handsome, Butler's transition to adult stardom took place on both stage and screen. His celebrated performance in a revival of the classic Eugene O'Neill play "The Iceman Cometh" caught the attention of both critics and showbiz colleagues alike. But it was in 2019 when he was cast as legendary rock and roll star Elvis Presley in the film "Elvis" that Butler's career went to the next level. His radical transformation into The King made Butler a global celebrity — and a decorated actor to boot. Let's take a journey through Austin Butler's life to discover how this shy Orange County, Calif. kid transformed into one of Hollywood's hottest and most promising young talents.
Austin Butler was discovered as a child
Austin Butler was born in 1991 and grew up in Orange County, California, an area just south of Los Angeles. He told WWD that when he was younger, he felt isolated from other children, but found music to keep himself occupied. "I was very shy and I didn't really like hanging out with other kids," the actor said. "I would spend eight hours a day playing the guitar and I was very reclusive." Part of this was doubtless due to being home-schooled. Butler later recalled to Just Jared Jr. that his father taught him, and that it definitely had an effect on his personality growing up, as he admitted, "I probably would be a little different if I had gone to school."
However, Butler loved growing up in Orange County anyway, noting that he admired the diversity of the area. "I got to meet people from all walks of life, different races and economic classes, and that was a great thing to grow up around," he said in an interview with The Orange County Register. The outlet noted that where he grew up gave Butler a leg up in Hollywood, because when he was a kid, he and his siblings were scouted at the Orange County Fair by a talent agent who liked his stepbrother's hair. "I was extremely shy, so I was going along for the ride," the star recalled.
And what a ride that would turn out to be.
He was a Nickelodeon and Disney regular
After Austin Butler and his siblings started going to tryouts in Hollywood, the future star quickly became the standout sibling. In his early years, he appeared on a number of millennial and Gen-Z childhood-favorite Nickelodeon and Disney shows, including "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide," "Wizards of Waverly Place," "Hannah Montana," and "Zoey 101." The actor was quite happy with bit parts, telling WWD, "I went on so many auditions, and you get one line in a Nickelodeon show, or a Disney show, and it feels like the biggest thing in the world."
He appeared as a recurring background character on 41 episodes of "Ned's Declassified" alone — memorably providing doves for a romantic moment between main character Moze and a boy she liked — and that part led to bigger and better things for the budding scene-stealer. "I became friends with a lot of the actors, and Lindsey Shaw [Moze] introduced me to her manager," Butler later told Portrait magazine. "... I signed with her immediately, and she got me on the right track."
His new manager helped him get a part on the classic early "iCarly" episode "iLike Jake," where he played the titular Jake, aka the object of Carly's affection. Though the character considered himself a singer, he was terrible. Fans still chuckle over the performance years later; on Twitter, one viewer wrote in 2013, "remember when austin butler was on icarly and he had a horrible singing voice so freddie autotuned him ... IM LAUGHING JUST THE THOUGHT OF IT!"
There were aliens in Austin Butler's attic
Austin Butler's first high-profile film role came in 2009, when he starred in the family-friendly sci-fi film "Aliens in the Attic." Butler played Jake Pearson, a curly-haired teen who, along with his family, has to defend his home (and the planet!) from the aliens who have moved in upstairs. Butler related to his character, telling Portrait magazine while filming, "He's definitely similar to me in the fact that he has to be the best in whatever he chooses to do." He was also excited about the film's action sequences, explaining to the outlet, "I have done some fight scenes where I got to do my own fighting. It was a lot of fun!! I've loved action movies since I was a little kid, so this is really great!"
The film paired Butler with his best friend, Ashley Tisdale, who memorialized their friendship years later on Instagram. "You've been my closest friend through the years," she wrote to her co-star in 2021, remembering, "You're the type of friend that came over when I was crying on the floor from a horrible breakup and not only lifted me off the ground but brought my favorite candy."
Unfortunately for the BBF duo, the film was a critical failure, amassing a rating of only 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. While it was doubtless supposed to signal the next step in Butler's career, it failed to launch him to the next level. That success would have to wait.
He joined Sharpay for a fabulous adventure
When Austin Butler turned 30 years old in August 2021, bestie Ashley Tisdale wrote in part on Instagram, "Remember that one time I convinced you to be in my Disney movie Sharpays fabulous adventure well look at you now!!" She was referring, of course, to a straight-to-video spinoff of the "High School Musical" series, a film that revolved around her ultra-diva character, Sharpay Evans, being scouted by a talent agent (via Rotten Tomatoes). Butler played Peyton in the film, Sharpay's love interest.
While promoting the 2011 flick, Butler said he felt a lot of pressure to live up to the reputation of the original "HSM" franchise. "Because of the success of the other movies, and how much people love them, you do sort of feel ... 'I hope this is good, too!' It's so easy to sort of fall into that trap, and that's why I just had to keep telling myself, 'Focus on today. Focus on this work.'" Butler said he was ultimately happy with the way the film turned out.
A young YouTuber who spoke with Butler at the movie's premiere described him as "friendly, nice, and down to earth" — all great qualities to have for an actor on the come-up.
He was Carrie Bradshaw's first love
In 2013, Austin Butler landed a role on "The Carrie Diaries," a high school-set "Sex and the City" prequel that aired on The CW. Butler played Sebastian Kydd, the show's main heartthrob. Asked by The TV Watchtower to describe Sebastian in one word, Butler had an unusual answer. "Leather, for some reason," he said. "He wears a leather jacket."
It seems that filming the show was a great experience for Butler, even though it only lasted two seasons. He got along well with his fellow castmates, telling Just Jared Jr. that he was particularly close with AnnaSophia Robb, who played Carrie Bradshaw, the role first made famous by Sarah Jessica Parker. "AnnaSophia and I now have this dynamic where we can just sort of be knuckleheads with each other and not take ourselves too seriously," Butler said. "It's very fun and she's so down to earth."
He also told Cosmopolitan that he was in a good headspace while "The Carrie Diaries" was on air, which evidently hadn't always been the case behind the scenes. "I went through a period when I was rebellious and a mess of a person," the actor confessed. "I'd swing from happy to depressed, and I realized the patterns of my mental state were contingent on the feelings I was allowing in my head." Instead, he started a new routine of daily gratitude journaling and morning walks, which Butler said had turned his mood around while filming the show.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
His relationship with Vanessa Hudgens had plenty of ups and downs
Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens' eight-year relationship had plenty of ups and downs. They first sparked romance rumors in 2011 when they were caught canoodling over milkshakes at Bob's Big Boy. The following year, Butler and Hudgens made their red carpet debut at the premiere of her movie, "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island."
The young lovebirds weren't shy about sharing their lives together. They hit the thriving 2010s music festival circuit, and the couple were spotted having fun together at Coachella and Outside Lands. Butler and Hudgens also connected through their faith, attending the celeb-friendly Hillsong church together, and they supported each other through hard times. After the death of Butler's mother Lori in 2014, Hudgens posted a loving tribute to X, formerly known as Twitter, rewriting Butler's message with some words of her own: "'Lori Butler, my mom, my hero & my best friend passed away this morning. Lets all celebrate her.' I miss you already mama."
While Butler and Hudgens certainly loved each other, their public sweetness got them into some hot water. During a 2016 Valentine's Day weekend getaway in Sedona, Arizona, Hudgens got into trouble and had to pay a fine for etching the couple's names and a heart onto a rock located on U.S. Forest Service land. Their relationship survived the rock drama, but it ultimately crumbled under career pressure. In 2020, Butler and Hudgens called it quits, with sources saying that their busy work and travel schedules were partially to blame.
He was injured on the set of The Shannara Chronicles
2016 also saw Austin Butler star as a half-man, half-elf named Wil in MTV's adaptation of Terry Brooks' "Shannara" book series, titled "The Shannara Chronicles" for television. However, the actor didn't understand the popularity of the fantasy series until after he'd been cast, telling Collider, "More and more people started talking to me about how excited they were about it and how they'd been a fan of the books for years. That was really cool." Indeed, Butler appeared at Comic-Con to promote the series, where numerous fans told him how much the books meant to him when they were younger. "It was really, really touching," he said.
As with "Aliens in the Attic," Butler was particularly excited about the action involved in the show, which would ultimately last for two seasons. However, one scene in particular saw the actor injured; his character was meant to be pulled along behind a bunch of horses, and something went wrong with the mechanism that was supposed to keep him safe while performing the stunt. "I'm bouncing on hard dirt and the bouncing caused the safety rig to pull apart and this metal thing whacked me in the face and cut my nose," the star told ShowbizJunkies.com. "... We ended up having to just do it with the regular rope because the safety rig was actually hurting me worse." Butler added, "I thought I broke my nose that day."
Austin Butler made his Broadway debut with an acting legend
In 2018, Austin Butler made his Broadway debut, per Just Jared, in a revival of Eugene O'Neill's classic play "The Iceman Cometh." He received critical raves for his performance, including in The New Yorker, which called Butler the only actor in a cast of performers. Not bad praise, considering he shared the stage with none other than Denzel Washington!
Butler later told GQ that he was hoping to be friends with the legendary star, but he decided just to do the best job he could, which involved memorizing the entire script and showing up to work earlier than everyone else. This got Washington's attention. "It's just Denzel and me in this empty theater," Butler recalled. "He started giving me acting advice and he really took me under his wing. He'd start telling me thoughts about the scene, and suddenly I've got Denzel almost as an acting coach."
Washington was so impressed with Butler's talent that he reached out to Baz Luhrmann, director of the then-upcoming "Elvis" biopic. Luhrmann told Entertainment Weekly that he saw a video of Butler performing "Unchained Melody," and then the phone rang. "I got a call from Denzel Washington, who gave me a cold call," he explained. "I did not know Denzel. And he said, 'I've just worked with this guy on stage. I've never seen a work ethic like it.'" Luhrmann decided to meet with Butler, and he soon realized he'd found his Elvis Presley.
Once upon a time ... Austin Butler played a killer
After a career spent mostly in television, Austin Butler got a big break when he was cast in Quentin Tarantino's 2019 film "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood." He played a mangy, murderous member of the Manson family, Tex Watson, one of the hippies who killed movie star Sharon Tate and several others in real life. Butler told Variety that it was difficult to leave the part behind at the end of the day, explaining, "The role itself requires me to dig into human things that are conflicting. ... Profoundly monstrous things were done. But then, at the same time, I would have a lot more reservations about doing it if it wasn't Tarantino."
Working with Tarantino was a major step up for Butler's career, and it meant an unusual audition process. Butler recalled to The Hollywood Reporter that he flew out to meet with the "Pulp Fiction" director for 12 straight hours, and he left the meeting knowing he had the part. On set, Butler praised the approach to filmmaking, explaining that the acclaimed director often required more takes than were necessary. While some directors do that because they are perfectionists, Tarantino's reasoning was different. "The mantra that Quentin has on set is that once you get the take you want, we're going to do one more and you know why? Because we love making movies and everybody screams it," Butler recalled. "... He's created such a wonderful family of people."
Austin Butler became a face of luxury fashion and beauty
Like many Hollywood stars, Austin Butler dabbled in the world of luxury fashion and beauty endorsements. In 2020, Austin Butler co-starred in Prada's Spring/Summer 2020 men's campaign called "Optimist Rhythm." In a short video produced for the collection, Butler sported a crisp button-up shirt, leather shoulder bag, and geometric sunglasses, and he looked the part of a sophisticated Milanese fashionisto. Butler's relationship with Prada continued over the years. The fashion house collaborated with filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and costume designer Catherine Martin on costumes for the film "Elvis," including a purple-red suit worn by Butler. The design house also kitted him out for the 2022 Met Gala.
Butler further ascended into the realm of high fashion when he was named an ambassador for fine jeweler Cartier in 2022. He sported several of the brand's pieces at that year's Cannes Film Festival. His foray into the world of luxury also has him smelling great, too. In 2023, Butler became the face of YSL Beauty's MYSELF fragrance. The scent's notes of orange blossom actually reminded Butler of his humble beginnings in Southern California. He told Vanity Fair, "When I was a kid, I had an orange tree in the center of my backyard — that was in Anaheim, California. The smell of orange blossoms really reminds me of picking oranges with my mother and making orange juice in the house."
Austin Butler's transformative Elvis odyssey
When Austin Butler scored the coveted role of Elvis Presley in director Baz Luhrmann's 2019 biopic about The King of Rock and Roll, it catapulted the young star into a three-year creative odyssey that would redefine his career. Butler fully committed himself to transforming into Presley, spending years researching and preparing for the role.
When production on "Elvis" shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Butler delved even further into his character studies. He intensely studied Presley's mannerisms, telling Elle Australia of his process, "The tricky thing was to get incredibly specific about the way his fingers were moving or his legs or anything, but then to make it feel as though it's happening right now for the first time ... It was hours and hours and hours of obsessing."
Not only did Butler make a physical transformation, but he changed his voice to sound exactly like Elvis Presley as well. "I had months where I wouldn't talk to anybody," Butler revealed when talking to Janelle Monáe for Variety. "And when I did, the only thing I was ever thinking about was Elvis. I was speaking in his voice the whole time." But playing Elvis took a serious toll on his body. Immediately after wrapping "Elvis," Butler was hospitalized with a virus that triggered appendicitis. Despite the role's physical toll, it paid off big time for Butler's career: Butler won a Golden Globe and he was nominated for an Academy Award.
How he shook off The King and became a Master Of The Air
After spending years in the world of Elvis Presley, Austin Butler was ready for a new role. But transitioning from playing The King to a World War II pilot wasn't a simple process. Executive produced by his "Elvis" co-star Tom Hanks, "Masters Of The Air" featured Butler as real-life World War II pilot Gale "Buck" Clevin, co-leader of dangerous air bombing missions inside German-occupied Europe.
Butler only had a week off in between shooting "Elvis" and "Masters of the Air," and while crunched for time, he immersed himself in the project as much as he could. Talking with Esquire, Butler said he watched the Hanks-produced World War II limited series "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific" to get in the mood. He and his co-star also attended boot camp, which allowed Butler to physically get into the role.
Despite the change of scenery, Butler's Elvis mannerisms and voice were hard to shake. When he arrived on the London set of "Masters," even director Cary Fukunaga noticed Butler's cling to The King. Butler still embodied Presley so much that he needed a dialect coach [3:19 - 3:30] to get Elvis out of his system. Butler spent almost a year in London filming the Apple TV+ limited series and once again, his hard work didn't go unnoticed. When it premiered in 2024, "Masters Of The Air" became the biggest series debut in Apple TV+ history.
Butler's private love with Kaia Gerber
Austin Butler's relationship with Vanessa Hudgens was very public, but he's kept his love with model Kaia Gerber fairly private. Butler and Gerber, whose famous mom is supermodel Cindy Crawford, were first spotted together in 2021 outside of a low-key yoga class. Even though Butler and Gerber weren't speaking publicly about their rumored relationship, the pair were photographed doing plenty of couple-ish activities together, including embarking on grocery store runs and grabbing coffee. During Butler's busy award season campaign for the movie "Elvis" in 2022, Butler and Gerber confirmed their love by making their red carpet debut at W Magazine's Best Performances party in Los Angeles, even holding hands outside the event.
Butler hasn't been shy about his public devotions in the past, but these days both he and Gerber keep their love lives to themselves. When GQ asked Butler about his budding relationship with Gerber, he quickly shut down the conversation. He quipped, "I don't think there's anything I want to share about that," adding, "But thank you for providing the space." And Gerber is equally mum about her boyfriend. She didn't want to discuss him during a 2024 interview with WSJ. Magazine. Gerber said, "Honestly, I feel like so few things in my life are private, and that is one of the things that I try to keep as sacred as possible."
His stunning Dune: Part Two physical transformation
Austin Butler's stunning physical transformation into the villainous Feyd-Rautha in the 2024 film "Dune: Part Two" was a new experience for the actor. The film's director, Denis Villeneuve, told Empire, "Austin brought something that is a cross between a psychopath killer, an Olympic sword master, a snake, and Mick Jagger." Instead of shaving his head, Butler donned a bald cap that extended over his eyebrows. Taking three hours to apply, Butler heartily embraced the three-hour daily physical transformation. "It was so liberating not having eyebrows," he confessed on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." "You don't realize how much they weigh you down. I was just streamlined."
Butler's physical transformation wasn't limited to makeup. Butler bulked up his body and he completed knife training for the film. Butler told the Los Angeles Times, "It was about finding the brutality and making him as vicious as possible." He also worked closely with the "Dune" director on developing Feyd-Rautha's backstory and character motivation. Butler even crafted his own vocal performance after actor Stellan Skarsgård's voice in 2021's "Dune: Part One." Feyd-Rautha is the nephew of Skarsgård's character, Baron Harkonnen, and Butler wanted to make the familial connection clear. He told Entertainment Weekly, "So then I started thinking about the way that he speaks, and that being linked to the person that you see with the most power from the time that you're a child, who you do end up emulating in some way."