Two of the Masters of the Air stars explain why the show was so difficult for Austin Butler to film. Masters of the Air is a historical drama that tells the true story of the men in the 100th Bombardment Group, coined the Bloody Hundredth. The show features a stellar cast including Butler, Barry Keoghan, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, and Elliot Warren. Masters of the Air released its third episode on February 2.
Speaking with Esquire, Turner and Butler discuss the difficulty of Butler’s Masters of the Air role. Immediately after filming Elvis, Butler reportedly came down with some unidentifiable illness, and was admitted to the hospital. Just days later, he had to report to work on the set of Masters of the Air. According to co-star Turner, Butler did a fantastic job with the gargantuan task of switching from the mindset of “someone as iconic as Elvis” to Masters of the Air. Check out the quote from Turner below:
“I can’t imagine spending so much time with someone as iconic as Elvis and then whiplash into another show. For me, I don’t know Elvis. I know him as Cleven. It’s a testament to his craft and how hard he works.”
Meanwhile, Butler describes trying to find himself on set:
“I was just trying to remember who I was. I hardly remember filming that [Masters of the Air]. Almost the full year that I was in London.”
Why The Elvis Role Was So Hard for Butler to Turn Off
After making a minor film break as a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Butler saw his first leading role in Elvis. Portraying the King of Rock and Roll, Butler did a spot-on Elvis impression. This work landed him recognition for the role, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and a Golden Globe win for Best Actor – Drama.
As a result of his hard work on Elvis, however, Butler could not seem to shake the Elvis voice. As Butler accepted prizes at awards shows and sat for interviews, one could still hear the deep timbre and lilting Southern drawl that he had used in the Baz Luhrmann film. As much as Butler was praised for his dedication, he was also mocked for the persistence of the voice months after Elvis wrapped.
Austin Butler’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked
Austin Butler has been gaining notoriety and fame for his roles in film and television, and as his star grows he has been in even more great movies.
If Butler was still struggling with shaking the Elvis voice at awards shows, one can only imagine how tough it was just days after finishing up the film. As a “testament to his craft,” however, Elvis is mostly imperceptible in his portrayal of Cleven. Masters of the Air will help divorce Butler from synonymy with Elvis both in reputation and for his self-perception as an actor.
Masters of the Air
Masters of the Air is an Apple TV+ original war drama starring Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, and Barry Keoghan. The series follows a group of eleven World War II pilots who fight German fighters in a bomber called “The Flying Fortress.” The miniseries was created by John Shiban and John Orloff and based on the book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller.
