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Austin Butler is an American actor who portrays Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in the 2024 film Dune: Part Two.

General overview[]

Butler began his career on television, first in roles on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, most notably on Zoey 101 and later on teen dramas, including recurring parts on The CW's Life Unexpected (2010–2011) and Switched at Birth (2011–2012). He gained further recognition for starring in The Carrie Diaries (2013–2014) and The Shannara Chronicles (2016–2017). Butler then made his Broadway debut in the 2018 revival of The Iceman Cometh and portrayed Tex Watson in Quentin Tarantino's film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

Butler gained international prominence and critical acclaim for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis (2022), for which he won the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award, and was also nominated for the Academy Award in that category. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023.[1]

In March 2022, Butler along with Florence Pugh were reported to be in talks to star in the film as Princess Irulan and Harkonnen heir Feyd-Rautha, respectively.[2][3] Butler was offered the role while having coffee with Denis Villeneuve, without needing to audition. He trained for four months in Budapest, using a fitness regimen made by an ex-Navy SEALs member.[4]

Villeneuve described Butler's performance as being a "cross between a psychopath killer, an Olympic sword master, a snake, and Mick Jagger" while Butler researched past cultures he felt "bred brutality" and took inspiration from various animals including sharks and snakes.[5][6] When it came to his character, Butler felt Feyd-Rautha served as "flip sides of the same coin" to Paul, as both had been involved in the Bene Gesserit Training's genetic breeding program; Butler opined Feyd-Rautha's upbringing on Giede Prime and self-care for his body explained his arrogance.[7] Butler and Timothée Chalamet had separately trained with a Kali instructor in Los Angeles for the climactic battle between Paul and Feyd-Rautha. They were excited to do the scene, and immediately began practicing once they later met in Budapest. They performed the scene by themselves, including for wide camera shots.[8][9]

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