Back in March, when we got the first reports that Austin Butler is playing Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two, even a couple of our team members had to look up more information about him. That was prior to the actor’s sensational performance as “the man” himself, in the Warner Bros. biopic Elvis, making him an instant favorite amongst moviegoers. Butler is now, rightly, seen by many critics as a serious Oscar Awards contender.
With film awards season and related campaigning now underway, Variety briefly spoke to the star at the Academy’s Governors Awards ceremony on November 19, 2022. When asked about Dune Butler was initially tight-lipped, playfully responding “do you think I can tell you everything? I can’t tell.” Interviewer Marc Malkin did, however, get insights into the actor’s feelings that first day of filming on Dune: Part Two‘s set.
It’s really surreal. You feel sort of like a kid in your favorite film. It’s like walking on to the set of any film that that you admire, like walking onto Indiana Jones or something like that. Like one of those films that really impact you as a kid, that’s how it felt.
Austin Butler, speaking to Variety
Asked about his initial reaction to getting cast in Dune: Part Two, Butler praised the first movie and spoke of his great admiration for director Denis Villeneuve:
I just I loved [Dune: Part One] so much. It was this cinematic masterpiece, so the idea of getting to be a part of that world is just incredibly exciting and Denis [Villeneuve] is one of my favorite filmmakers and just an amazing human being. He’s so kind and I’m a fan of every one of those actors in the film, so I I felt really honored.
The full clip (2.5 minutes) can be watched below, with Dune content starting at 1:10.
Dune: Part Two is currently on its final leg of production, with filming taking place in the vast desert landscapes of the United Arab Emirates. The movie is set to premiere in theaters on November 3, 2023.
