Austin Butler recently revealed a lesser-known story from his audition experiences, highlighting the competitiveness of The Hunger Games casting process.
Butler Tried for Peeta
In a June 26 video for BuzzFeed Celeb, Austin shared his attempt to land the role of Peeta Mellark in the 2012 adaptation of The Hunger Games. He candidly admitted, I don’t even think I got a callback
and that he “didn’t get it at all”.
The role of Peeta ultimately went to Josh Hutcherson, who starred opposite Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss) and Liam Hemsworth (Gale).
Praise for Josh Hutcherson
Despite missing out on the role, Butler had nothing but kind words for Hutcherson, stating he’s great
. Hutcherson himself has spoken about how he resonated with Peeta’s character, saying, It’s the belief of not letting something change you, which is very much a driving force in Peeta’s motivation throughout the stories. That’s completely who I am.
A Bright Side to Every Attempt
Not all auditions lead to success, but Austin Butler has had his fair share of wins too. Reflecting on the process of securing his role as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s 2023 film Elvis, for which he received an Oscar nomination, Butler remembered:
From the start, I knew Baz doesn’t just do auditions, he does workshops…I was able to keep my head down and concentrate on the work and try not to get too invested in thinking of it as my part.
The dedication paid off when Butler secured the iconic role by impressing Luhrmann with a spontaneous video performance.
The Lessons Learned from Rejection
Butler emphasized the inevitable rejections actors face in their careers. He mentioned how early advice shaped his perspective: You get told ‘no’ so many times… someone told me…‘It’s a numbers game. Prepare to go to 100 auditions before you book one.’
More Stories in Hollywood’s Casting History
This experience isn’t unique to Butler; Hollywood is filled with tales of actors who narrowly missed out on major roles. For instance, Chris Pine missed playing Ryan Atwood on The O.C.; Rob Lowe declined becoming McDreamy in Grey’s Anatomy; and Benedict Cumberbatch lost out on the role of vampire Bill Compton in True Blood. Each missed opportunity tells its own story of perseverance and eventual success.
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