Austin Butler remains humble about his phenomenal success

After several minor roles in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Austin Butler became one of the most sought-after actors of his generation with the film “Elvis,” for which he won a Golden Globe in 2023. At 32, Kaia Gerber’s boyfriend is in the miniseries “Masters of the Air” on Apple TV+.

How did you headline this project?

Before the end of our joint filming in “Elvis”, it was Tom Hanks who invited me to dinner. We had such a bond for this film that he asked me to play Major Gale Klevan, who we nicknamed Buck, in the “Masters of the Air” in which he is the producer. I am a big fan of his movie “Saving Private Ryan” directed by Steven Spielberg. I had planned to take several months off after playing Elvis Presley to clear my head and recharge my batteries, but Tom Hanks’ offer was too good to refuse.

How did you go from playing Elvis to playing this American pilot during World War II?

The week after production on “Elvis” ended I was very sick and then I flew to London, where I was quarantined for ten days. He was in the middle of an epidemic. I took advantage of these ten days, locked in a room without any contact with the outside world, to re-watch “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific” but also read the book “Masters of the Air” from which our series. So I was completely immersed which allowed me to quickly forget Elvis Presley.

What did you discover during your preparation?

These men and women who were engaged in the army during the war knew very well that they could die at any time. What compelled them to continue fighting was not survival instinct, no. They fought above all to protect their ideal which is a free world.

What about your partners?

There’s something unique about playing soldiers during a war because, during rehearsals, we really bonded as if our lives depended on the group. In fact, from the very first evening we quickly stopped asking superficial questions to discuss our fears and our dreams, about life, about love. Proof: We finished filming “Masters of the Air” more than a year ago, and yet I find them now promoting our miniseries as if we just left each other the day before. Unlike the heroes we play, we didn’t risk our lives on set, but we realized that we all depend on each other at one point or another.

“Elvis”, “Masters of the Air” and soon “Dune Part 2”, how do you react to your success in recent years?

The first word that comes to mind is humble. I want to remain humble in the face of all these opportunities.