Austin Butler discusses work on Quentin Tarantino movie sets
In a new interview, Austin Butler has informed what life was like working under Quentin Tarantino on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and revealed a lighthearted side to the director. Notably, Butler played the Manson Family member ‘Tex’ Watson in the movie.
When speaking to YouTube channel Hot Ones, Butler explained that he was somewhat surprised by the positive demeanour of Tarantino’s sets and one of the director’s rituals, as some Hollywood sets tend to be “sterile”. He also disclosed that it was a “dream” to work with the Pulp Fiction filmmaker.
“I’ve talked a lot about how much Quentin meant to me,” he told Hot Ones. “It was always my dream to work with him. We’re on set and he says, ‘OK, we got it. We’re going to do one more. You know why?'”
He continued: “And the entire crew screams, ‘Because we love making movies!’ And the first time you’re there, you’re not in on it. So Brad, Leo, everybody is like, ‘Because we love making movies!'”
Butler added that Tarantino’s lighthearted approach to movies makes the experience stand out fondly in his memory, as other films he’s worked on have been much more serious environments. He explained: “There are sets that are so sterile. There are sets where there is no joy. There are sets where people are just at a job, and you’re trying to create something that you’re going to give to the world.”
“With Quentin, that was so cool because it just changes the atoms in the room. And then the next time that ‘We love making movies!’ happens, you’re in on it.”
He concluded: “So every crew new member or actor or whomever, suddenly they’re part of the tribe at that point, saying ‘We love making movies!’.”
At the BAFTA Awards last Sunday, Austin Butler won the ‘Best Leading Actor’ prize for his performance as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic, Elvis. He is also nominated ‘Best Actor’ at this year’s edition of the Oscars for the role.
Never Miss A Take
The Far Out Quentin Tarantino Newsletter
All the latest Quentin Tarantino content from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.