Austin Butler, who plays Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two, has shared the unexpected tale of how he came to land the part. Filming for Dune: Part 2 started this summer. It is anticipated to premiere in November 2023. Butler as Feyd-Rautha, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan Corrino, and Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV are just a few of the new actors who have been added to the cast.
Butler spoke with Josh Horowitz on the most recent episode of Happy Sad Confused about a variety of issues, including his main part in Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-nominated film Elvis. When the topic of his future appearance in Dune: Part Two came up, he confessed that he didn’t even need to audition for the part. The filmmaker told Villeneuve that “I’m going to dream on this” after having lunch with him in Los Angeles and discussing the movie before directly offering him the part a week later.
Butler revealed, “Miraculously, no [I didn’t have to audition.] Denis was in town, I was in LA at the time, and Denis just asked me for coffee. We really hit it off and we just talked a lot about how we liked to work. We talked about the part and how I would approach it and then he said, “You know, I’m going to dream on this.” And then he called me a week later and he said, “I would like you to join me on Arrakis.”
Butler then hinted at some of his preparation for the part, which includes a four-month fitness regimen, “just to get my body into a place where I can be a physically imposing presence.” Butler laughed when asked if he ultimately liked the way the character turned out. Butler responded, “Yeah, I think it’s going to be great.” In addition to his recent work in Elvis, Butler has a lot of experience, but that performance can also serve as a guide for why the actor would be able to successfully portray the renowned Feyd-Rautha. Butler pushed himself to the limit in order to express the toll Elvis’ existence took on his body, which demonstrated how thoroughly he is willing to commit to the physicality of a performance.