Austin Butler, rising to fame with his performance as the legendary musician Elvis Presley in the critically acclaimed biopic Elvis, recently joined the cast of Denis Villeneuve’s magnum opus Dune 2, for the first time. While the actor noted having a phenomenal working experience, Butler also opened up about the harsh conditions under which the cast and crew had to work.
Revealing two terrifying conditions that he had to endure personally, Austin Butler who plays Baron Vladimir Harkonnen’s merciless nephew, the bald villain, Feyd-Rautha, revealed how he pulled off his character. Disclosing the scorching heat and how he had to wear a bald cap on top of that, Butler shared the challenging circumstances. However, he eventually admitted to having a bonding experience on set, despite all odds.
Austin Butler Revealed the Challenging Circumstances on Dune 2 Set
Following his appearance in the critically acclaimed movie Elvis, which later landed him the opportunity to appear in Masters of the Air, Austin Butler gained the limelight in Hollywood. Rising to fame through his riveting performances in his projects the actor finally landed the role of the titular villain in Denis Villeneuve’s magnum opus Dune: Part Two.
Joining Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya for the first time, Austin Butler played the role of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen’s merciless nephew, Feyd-Rautha. But while the opportunity came as a blessing to Butler’s career, the experience was quite challenging. Opening up about Dune 2 set conditions, the actor revealed the challenging circumstances.
Speaking with EW, Austin Butler noted how the sets were 110 degrees hot, and on top of that, since he played the role of a bald villain, he had to wear a bald cap. Discussing the tiring experience under the scorching heat, Butler revealed how everyone on set had to pull off their characters, flawlessly, under those extreme conditions.
Austin Butler Noted Having a Bonding Experience Despite Setbacks
Making a film is not an easy job, and Austin Butler’s experience while shooting Dune: Part Two speaks volumes. Revealing his fair share of challenges after joining the cast of Denis Villeneuve‘s sci-fi thriller, Butler noted how the set had turned into a microwave oven and people were passing out from heat strokes.
“It was 110 degrees and so hot. I had the bald cap on, and it was between two soundstages that were just these gray boxes of 200-foot walls and sand. It became like a microwave. There were people passing out from heat stroke. And that was just my first week.”
However, despite sharing his terrifying experience while shooting the upcoming highly anticipated movie Dune 2, Austin Butler claimed that he enjoyed his time on set. Having a bonding experience through the setbacks, Butler noted there was something humble about filming together under such extreme conditions.
“It really bonds the entire crew. There’s something so humbling about being in such an uncomfortable environment.”
After Austin Butler shared his experience, Denis Villeneuve noted that both the movies were filmed under such challenging conditions. Since Butler only recently joined the sequel, he wasn’t aware of the previous film’s shooting conditions. Further, Villeneuve noted that since the movies were shot under harsh conditions, it was important to give a break, otherwise he initially had plans of shooting back to back.
Dune: Part Two will hit the theatres on March 1, 2024.
