The whole thing was about stripping away the icon of Elvis and getting down to the humanity of him, that was what was fascinating to me. But music was the way he expressed himself and so what way to connect to his soul more than trying to do that as authentically as possible.

Austin Butler

Things come up in life and we don't feel like we can ever live through them, but if we're still alive afterwards, we get through it. It's that thing where what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I think that's beautiful.

Austin Butler

stronger beautiful thinking

When you're doing fantasy, you can get so caught up in the magic of it that you lose the humanity.

Austin Butler

fantasy magic humanity

I really don't like watching myself and for the most part I will never watch myself. I worked with Kevin Smith on Yoga Hosers and I really respected the way that he directed. He told me, "It's very important to watch yourself." So he would direct by going, "Hey come over to the screen and watch this scene." And so it was very uncomfortable for me to have to watch myself but then he talked me through the process of that and it was very helpful.

Austin Butler

hey yoga important

When you're at dinner with somebody and they are on their phone. I think there's that lost art of conversation and so I just always try to keep my phone far away from me when I'm with people.

Austin Butler

phones art thinking

How someone treats a waiter or doorman can tell you so much about a person.

Austin Butler

treats waiter persons

I was home schooled starting in seventh grade.

Austin Butler

grades starting home

I find that with fantasy, you lose yourself in it a lot. It's great to be able to go into a dark theater or turn off the lights in your house and just get sucked into this world. I remember watching Star Wars when I was a little kid when they did the re-release of all the originals. I couldn't even read yet but my uncle took me and he would read me the opening as the words were coming up on the screen. I just remember being so sucked into that and thinking, "I want to be Luke Skywalker."

Austin Butler

uncles stars war

I went through a period when I was rebellious and a mess of a person.

Austin Butler

mess rebellious periods

When I was a kid and I would play pretend, I would end up with blood everywhere and I would cut my feet up. I love the feeling of it being real.

Austin Butler

cutting real kids

It's just the overall lack of privacy. I've always been a very shy person and so it invades that a lot. It goes with the territory so I'm very grateful to be able to do what I do. I love it and I love acting. I love being on set. I love the whole practice of filmmaking but the lack of privacy is hard. Fans are amazing because for the most part it's just love that they are sending to you. It's beautiful.

Austin Butler

grateful love-is beautiful

I love English girls! I adore all their different accents. Who knows, I could find a British girlfriend on my travels!

Austin Butler

british girl different

The people who support me are so great! They all say such nice things that make me feel really great. I love it when people compliment me on the way I act, because it is not an easy thing, and there is so much criticism out there.

Austin Butler

support nice people

When you're just writing, you can do anything with it. But with TV, you've gotta work within certain budget constraints, so you've got to pick and choose your battles.

Austin Butler

tvs battle writing

I was always really shy. That's why being in front of cameras like this is uncomfortable. I found that when I was a kid, I would hide behind playing pretend. That's when I would come out of my shell. I would dress up as an old man or something and go out onto the street with my mom. I would come out of my shell that way. So I ended up stumbling into acting. It was the one thing that I found a passion for.

Austin Butler

passion mom kids

There is hardly anything more confusing than a really strong-willed woman and when you are surrounded by two of them in the midst of trying to save the world, it really adds to some drama!

Austin Butler

strong drama two

I know when I watch certain actors or if I watch Thom Yorke sing on stage, I'm affected by it emotionally. I guess that's what we are all striving for in art but that's such a beautiful thing that happens between two people that may never even meet. So when you do get to meet someone who was affected in that way, it's awesome.

Austin Butler

beautiful two art

My grandpa was a cowboy. He roped cattle out in Texas and Arizona. Growing up, I'd see him maybe once a year and he'd always get me on a horse at some point. But each time I'd have to learn again.

Austin Butler

cowboy horse growing-up

Film and television are just different. Film is cool because its a complete package. You know the beginning, middle, and end. You can plan it out more, which I like. But with television you get a new script every week, so its constantly a mystery as to what youre going to be doing.

Austin Butler

film-and-television beginning-middle-and-end different

I think it's important to have a dream and to follow your heart.

Austin Butler

think follow-your-heart dream heart

I was scouted at the age of 10 by a Hollywood agent. I was a really shy, geeky-looking thing, and started in the industry by doing 'extra' work on films.

Austin Butler

doing shy age work