Austin Butler faced significant struggles with Method acting, leading to exhaustion, health issues, and personal revelations about balance.
Austin Butler’s dedication to Method acting famously pushed him to extremes while preparing for his role as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s 2021 biopic, leading to a hospitalization after production ended due to his body’s exhaustion. Recently, Butler shared with Men’s Health that ongoing sleep deprivation from his demanding schedule even caused him to experience temporary blindness during the shooting of Jeff Nichols’ biker drama. These experiences highlight the challenges Butler faces balancing intense immersion in roles with his well-being, raising questions about the sustainability of such a Method acting approach.
Changing His Approach to Method Acting for Stability
Butler revealed he has been consciously trying to alter how he engages with his roles, particularly on the set of the A24 crime thriller Enemies, filmed in Chicago earlier this year. In the film, Butler portrays a killer in a strategic battle against a detective played by Jeremy Allen White. When White asked if Butler could continue the immersive style he used for Elvis while maintaining a fulfilling personal life, Butler responded candidly: “No. I don’t think so.”
White noted,
“I think Austin is at this point in his life where doing the best work he can is very important, and I think it always will be, but I think he’s searching for some stability in life as well.”
The actor admitted he once believed that intense acting required enduring a “tortured process” that would leave him broken but now understands the importance of integrating difficult personal facets into his work without losing himself. Butler explained,
Image of: Austin Butler
“For a long time, I felt that it had to be a tortured process and I would come out the other side broken,”
and added,
“Rather than just putting parts of yourself away and trying to pretend that they don’t exist, it’s like going into the gross bits of yourself — going into the bits that you don’t want to look at — and finding a way of integrating that into the whole.”
Support from Fellow Actors Helps Butler Manage Stress
To cope with the mental and physical strain from his roles, Butler has drawn support from established friends in Hollywood, including actor Tom Hardy. Having worked together on The Bikeriders, Butler adopted Hardy’s post-filming recovery routine after struggling with sleeplessness. Hardy’s method involves intense physical activity, such as working out with a weighted vest and doing 1,000 box jumps to tire the body and promote deep sleep. Butler told Men’s Health,
“After shooting all night, Hardy would go home, put on a weighted vest, and do 1,000 box jumps.”
He emphasized the importance of simple routines and added,
“I’m just trying to find little things like that,”
explaining that exposure to sunlight also helps regulate his mood during filming.
“Sometimes it’s the mundane little things.”
Laura Dern’s Guidance Offers Emotional Healing
Another key figure in Butler’s recovery and emotional balance has been Laura Dern. The two met recently at an event and immediately connected, describing their interaction as a “soul-level” bond. Butler noted that his own mother was often told she resembled Dern, making the connection feel especially personal. He shared,
“It was like the whole room just quieted, and we connected on a soul level. We felt like kindred spirits… My mom was even told that she looked like Laura Dern, and so as soon as I see her, it’s like: She looks like my actual mom.”
Dern has helped Butler reframe his experience of portraying dark characters. She teaches him that exploring the “shadow self” does not need to consume or damage his personal life but can instead become a process of healing and synthesis. Butler explained, citing Dern’s influence,
“She’s helping me more and more to see that you can come out the other side, and maybe bits of you have healed, and synthesized, and metabolized. It can be therapeutic, in a way.”
He concluded on the topic of light and darkness, saying,
“You don’t have to destroy the light.”
Looking Ahead to Upcoming Projects
Butler’s next film role will be alongside Zoe Kravitz in Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing, scheduled for release in theaters on August 29 by Sony Pictures. As Butler continues to explore challenging roles, his evolving approach to Method acting, bolstered by mentorship and healthy coping techniques, suggests a deliberate shift toward sustaining both artistic excellence and personal resilience. This balanced perspective promises to shape the trajectory of Butler’s career in the coming years.
