Austin Butler plays the lead role in "The Bikeriders", a drama about a motorcycle gang in 1960s Chicago. The film will have its Swedish cinema premiere on August 23.
The film's director Jeff Nichols drew inspiration from a photo book by Danny Lyon, who followed a real motorcycle gang for ten years. The film's motorcycle gang attracts people whose common denominator is that they don't belong anywhere else.
So they create a place outside of society, build a structure for it, and add rules. But suddenly they've created exactly what they wanted to get away from, says Jeff Nichols.
"Could kill"
Austin Butler's character Benny is torn between loyalty to the motorcycle gang and its leader Johnny, played by Tom Hardy, and his wife Kathy (Jodie Comer), who wants to start a family.
He could kill for Johnny, but also die for him. But when demands are made on him, it restricts his freedom, which is the most important thing for him, says Austin Butler.
After the title role in "Elvis" and acclaimed performances in "Dune 2" and the TV series "Masters of the Air", Austin Butler is one of Hollywood's hottest names – constantly pursued and never at peace.
It's fitting, then, that he can ride a motorcycle and just take off – protected by the helmet on his head, which hides his face. Austin Butler grew up in a family where both his father and grandfather rode motorcycles, and he often accompanied them.
It was an incredible feeling every time we went on an adventure together.
Sister was injured
But when Austin Butler's older sister was injured in a motorcycle accident, his parents stopped him from riding, and it took a while before he could take it up again.
When I filmed "Elvis" in Australia, there was a man who owned a café and always had different motorcycles outside, old Harleys. We became friends, and I started riding with him.
Austin Butler laughs:
Which I probably, according to my contract, wasn't allowed to do. But it was something I really enjoyed doing.
And since he returned to the US, he has continued. It gives a certain escape from celebrity.
It's a feeling of freedom to be able to put on the helmet, be anonymous when you're speeding along the roads.
Age: 33 years.
Family: Girlfriend Kaia Gerber, supermodel.
Background: Born and raised in California. Began his career as a child star in various TV series at Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. Had a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's "Once upon a time in Hollywood" before the big breakthrough in "Elvis", directed by Baz Luhrmann, for which he received a Golden Globe and a Bafta, as well as an Oscar nomination.
