Summer movie preview: Breakout stars to watch
Some are newcomers. Some are former child stars reintroducing themselves in adult roles. And one is a comedian making a leap to big screen. Here is just one of the actors poised to make a splash this summer at the movies:
Austin Butler, “Elvis”
How familiar you are with Austin Butler will likely have a lot to do with your age. For a certain demographic, Butler, who starred in Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, CW and ABC Family shows between 2007 and 2012, is one of the most recognizable faces on the planet.
But Butler is about to hit a different level this summer when audiences get a glimpse of the 30-yearold as Elvis Presley in the new Baz Luhrmann production hitting theaters June 24. To say his preparation was intense is an understatement: He spent five months just workshopping with Luhrmann before he was even officially offered the role (which, incidentally, was the day before the premiere of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” where he steals several scenes as a Manson follower).
“I threw my eggs in one basket,” Butler said. “I told my agents not to even send me another audition. I said I can't focus on anything else. It would have really been a bummer if I didn't get it after investing that much.”
The film is framed around Presley's complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who is played by Tom Hanks. When Butler arrived in Australia for the shoot, waiting for him in his room was a typewriter with a note from Colonel Tom Parker (both were from Hanks). And throughout production, they sent letters to one another, in character.