Austin Butler Says Taking His Elvis Method Approach for Dune: Part Two Villain ‘Would Be Unhealthy’

Austin Butler talks about why he couldn’t go overboard with his acting for his own Dina: The second part character.

In a new interview for Los Angeles TimesButler, 32, spoke about his approach to playing villain Feyd-Rauth Harkonnen in the sci-fi epic with his director Denis Villeneuve.

“I’m definitely in the past, with ElvisI explored living in that world for three years and it’s the only thing I think about day and night,” Butler said. “With Feyd, I knew it would be unhealthy for my family and friends.”

Butler gained significant attention for his role as Elvis Presley in 2022 Elvis biopic, notably for such an intense dedication to the role that he said “all I ever thought about was Elvis” for long periods. Butler also continued to speak in Presley’s accent for months even after he finished working on the film.

“So I made a conscious decision about the boundary,” Butler added after Villeneuve joked that Butler was completely absorbed in his Dune the character would be unhealthy for the film director as well.

Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber hold hands during Dina: The second part Premiere night in London

Austin Butler (left) and Lea Seydoux in ‘The Dune: Part Two’.

Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros. Pictures

“It allowed more freedom between action and cutting because I knew I was going to protect everyone else outside of the context of what we were doing,” Butler said of the role. “That doesn’t mean it doesn’t bleed into your life. But I knew I wasn’t going to do anything dangerous beyond that line, and in a way that allowed me to go deeper, I think.”

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In the second Dune film, Butler plays a new character from the Harkonnen family, who were previously established as bitter enemies of Timothée Chalamet’s character Paul Atreides and his family in 2021. Dina: The first part. Feyd-Rautha is the nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (played by Stellan Skarsgård); the character was previously portrayed by the singer/bassist of The Police Sting in 1984. Dune movie.

After Paul survives a Harkonnen attack on his family and the murder of his father (Oscar Isaac) in the first film of the series, the Harkonnens task the Feyd-Rauth with finding Paul and killing him while teaming up with Zendaya’s character Chani and the Fremen, as shown in announcements for the upcoming movie.

Austin Butler recalls ‘having to choose’ between Top Gun: Maverick Screen Test or ‘Saying Yes’ to Quentin Tarantino

Austin Butler photographed in Paris on September 26, 2023; Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in ‘Dune: Part Two’.

Marc Piasecki/WireImage; Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

“Working with you was incredibly playful. When the camera was on, it was like you were possessed,” Villeneuve, 56, said of working with Butler on the new film. “When the camera was off, you were still maybe 25 or 30% Feyd. Enough to still be present and focused, but far enough away that you didn’t kill anyone on set.”

Dina: The second part is released in theaters on March 1.

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Source: HIS Education