'I heard Ryan Gosling did it': Austin Butler on following Ryan Gosling's 'The Lovely Bones' ice cream diet for 'Elvis'
When Austin Butler revealed he microwaved ice cream like Ryan Gosling to gain weight for 'Elvis,' he shared the highs and lows of emulating Gosling's method.
Austin Butler and Ryan Gosling (Source: IndieWire)
"I Heard Ryan Gosling Did It": Austin Butler's Method Acting for 'Elvis'
The transformative journey of becoming Elvis Presley for Baz Luhrmann's Elvis required Austin Butler to embrace extreme measures. But it wasn't an acting coach or nutritionist that gave Butler his strategy; it was Ryan Gosling's approach to character preparation that paved the way.
A Delicious Inspiration: Emulating Ryan Gosling's Ice Cream Diet
As reported by Insider, Austin Butler recalled how he stumbled upon the unique approach that helped him pack on the pounds to play the King of Rock 'n' Roll. He found inspiration in Ryan Gosling's alleged preparation for Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones.
"I heard that when Ryan Gosling was going to do 'The Lovely Bones,' he had microwaved Häagen-Dazs and would drink it. So I started doing that," Butler explained. He went on to detail his indulgent regimen, including devouring two dozen doughnuts, only to admit that "it's fun for a week," but then "you feel awful about yourself."
Switching Eras and Shedding Pounds: From 'Elvis' to 'Dune'
Butler's portrayal of Elvis was a dynamic dance between different eras of the iconic star's life. One day he'd be in 1974, and the next in 1956. The pandemic made chronological filming impossible, adding to the challenges of the role.
The actor's next project, Dune: Part Two, required an entirely different physical preparation. With the help of trainer Duffy Gaver, Butler endured workouts that pushed him to the point of vomiting. "He just goes for it and you're just going, 'How many of these am I going to do?' And once you get to the point where you're dying and you can hardly do another, he goes, 'Alright, do 10 more,'" Butler recalled.
A Journey from Ryan Gosling's Häagen-Dazs Method to Navy Seal Training
Austin Butler's acting journey is filled with intriguing anecdotes, extreme methods, and hard-fought triumphs. From embracing Ryan Gosling's unorthodox ice cream method to enduring Navy Seal-like training, his commitment to the craft is unquestionable.
The story is a testament to the extraordinary lengths actors are willing to go to immerse themselves in their characters. And in this case, the Häagen-Dazs-infused path Butler trod offers a deliciously captivating look into the world of Hollywood transformation.
Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.