Austin Butler Bio
Austin Robert Butler (born August 17, 1991) is an American actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he has received a BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, two Critics’ Choice Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023. Butler began his career on television, first in roles on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, most notably on Zoey 101 (2007–2008), and later on teen dramas, including recurring parts on The CW’s Life Unexpected (2010–2011) and Switched at Birth (2011–2012). He gained recognition for starring in The Carrie Diaries (2013–2014) and The Shannara Chronicles (2016–2017). Butler made his Broadway debut in the revival of Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh (2018) and portrayed Tex Watson in Quentin Tarantino’s period dramedy Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). Butler gained wider recognition for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic Elvis (2022), for which he won the Golden Globe, AACTA Award and BAFTA Award, and was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He has since starred as Gale Cleven in the Apple TV+ war drama miniseries Masters of the Air (2024), Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in the Denis Villeneuve science fiction film Dune: Part Two (2024), and a bartender caught up in a web of crime in Darren Aronofsky’s thriller Caught Stealing (2025).
Early Life and Background
Austin Butler was born on August 17, 1991, in Anaheim, California, the son of Lori Anne (née Howell), an aesthetician, and David Butler. The two divorced when he was seven. He has an older sister, Ashley, who worked as a background actress alongside him on Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide. His maternal great-great-grandparents were Finnish immigrants from Ostrobothnia, Finland, who settled in Wisconsin. When Butler was thirteen, he was approached by a representative from a background acting management company at the Orange County Fair who helped him get started in the entertainment industry. He found that he enjoyed it and soon began taking acting classes. Butler attended public school until the seventh grade, when he left to be homeschooled to better accommodate his work schedule. He continued his homeschooling until the tenth grade and later passed the CHSPE, the state’s high school equivalency diploma exam.
Path to Hollywood
In 2005, after working as an extra on several television series including Unfabulous and Drake & Josh, Butler landed his first regular job as a background actor playing the role of Zippy Brewster for two seasons on Nickelodeon’s Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide. His friend on the show, Lindsey Shaw, introduced him to her manager, Pat Cutler, who signed him and launched his career. From that point on, Butler began taking acting seriously as a career. In May 2007, Butler landed a guest starring role on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana playing the role of Derek Hanson opposite actress Miley Cyrus, and in September of that same year, he portrayed Jake Krandle in the episode “iLike Jake” on the Nickelodeon series iCarly. In February 2008, Butler landed a main role on another Nickelodeon series, Zoey 101, playing James Garrett, the love interest of Jamie Lynn Spears’s title character Zoey in the fourth season; previously, he guest starred on the same show playing the role of Danifer on the third-season episode “Quarantine”. In March of that year, he appeared in an episode on the short-lived Cartoon Network sitcom, Out of Jimmy’s Head, playing the role of Lance in the episode titled “Princess”. In July 2009, Butler starred in 20th Century Fox’s family adventure film Aliens in the Attic portraying Jake Pearson, alongside Ashley Tisdale, Carter Jenkins, Robert Hoffman, Kevin Nealon and Doris Roberts. In the film, his character, along with his family, battles to save their vacation home and the world from an alien invasion. That same summer, Butler appeared in the starring role of Jordan Gallagher on the popular, but short-lived ABC Family series Ruby & the Rockits, alongside David Cassidy, Patrick Cassidy and his good friend, Alexa Vega.
Austin Butler Career
Early Career (2005–2018)
In February 2010, Butler landed a recurring role as Jones on the CW series Life Unexpected. Later that year, he guest-starred in episodes of the Disney Channel sitcoms Wizards of Waverly Place and Jonas as well as on CSI: Miami and The Defenders. Also in 2010, Butler’s Aliens in the Attic co-star Ashley Tisdale invited him to audition for a lead role in the film Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, a spin-off of Disney’s High School Musical franchise that followed the adventures of Sharpay Evans after high school as she tries to get her big break on Broadway. In the film, Butler plays Peyton Leverette, the love interest of Sharpay. The film was released direct to DVD on April 19, 2011. In 2011, he booked the recurring role of Wilke on the ABC Family series Switched at Birth, debuting on June 27, 2011. In the same year, he signed on to play the lead role of Zack Garvey in the Lifetime television film The Bling Ring, based on the burglary group of the same name who targeted the homes of Hollywood’s celebrities. The film was released on September 26, 2011. In January 2012, Butler guest-starred on the NBC comedy Are You There, Chelsea? In his early twenties, Butler continued to act in teen-oriented television series, but gained greater recognition for his starring roles in The Carrie Diaries and later The Shannara Chronicles; he also branched out into new stage and film projects. In March 2012, Butler was cast in The CW’s Sex and the City prequel series The Carrie Diaries to play Sebastian Kydd, a brooding heartthrob attending the same high school as Carrie Bradshaw, played by AnnaSophia Robb. The Carrie Diaries is based on Candace Bushnell’s novel by the same name and follows Bradshaw’s life in the 1980s as a teenager in New York City. The show was cancelled after two seasons.
Breakthrough (2019–present)
In 2019, Butler appeared in the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as a fictional version of Manson Family member Tex Watson. Though he had limited screen time, his performance has been described as “intense” and “brooding”. He received numerous nominations as a member of the film’s ensemble cast. In that same year, Butler was cast as Elvis Presley in the biopic Elvis, directed by Baz Luhrmann. The film premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Butler’s performance received critical acclaim, as well as praise from the Presley family. He described the part as “the most intimidating thing I’ve ever done. I honestly didn’t sleep for about two years.” The role earned him several nominations for Best Actor awards, including the Academy Award, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, Golden Globe and SAG Awards, winning the BAFTA and Golden Globe. Butler hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live later that year. In June 2023, Butler was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an actor. The 50th Telluride Film Festival marked the premiere of Jeff Nichols’s 1960s-set drama The Bikeriders, in which he played a member of a motorcycle club. The following year, he portrayed Gale Cleven in the war drama miniseries Masters of the Air. He next played the villainous Feyd-Rautha in Denis Villeneuve’s science fiction epic Dune: Part Two (2024). Butler received praise for his commitment to the role, physical transformation, and complex character work. Butler next starred in Ari Aster’s Western film Eddington, alongside Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone and Pedro Pascal, and in Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller Caught Stealing as Hank Thompson, alongside Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, and Bad Bunny. In May 2025, it was announced that Butler would be joining Jeremy Allen White in A24’s Henry Dunham Crime Pic Enemies.
Austin Butler Award Nominations
Austin Butler has received numerous award nominations throughout his career, including nominations for an Academy Award, two Critics’ Choice Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, showcasing his talent and impact in the film industry.
Austin Butler Awards Won
Austin Butler has won several prestigious awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, both for his role in the film Elvis. His performances have been recognized for their depth and skill, marking him as a significant talent in Hollywood.
