Austin Butler brings intensity to the screen as he stars in Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller “Caught Stealing,” opening in Philippine cinemas on September 10.
Butler takes on the role of Hank Thompson, a former baseball player turned New York bartender. His ordinary life shifts when a favor for his neighbor Russ, played by Matt Smith, draws him into a violent gang war.
For Butler, working with Aronofsky is the fulfillment of a childhood dream. “The first thing I was ever cast in was a student film. I asked the director who his favorite director was, and he said Darren Aronofsky. Since I was a child, I had this thing in my head where I wanted to work with Darren,” Butler recalls.
On set, he thrived under Aronofsky’s demanding style. “It’s a pressure cooker, and I enjoyed that. He demands a lot of everybody, including himself, but that intensity pulls out the best in every department,” Butler says.
Aronofsky praised Butler’s performance. “It’s the first time I’ve seen him show up as Austin. He often disappears into his characters, but there’s so much of him in this one.”
Charlie Huston, who adapted his own novel for the screen, highlights Hank’s inner conflict. “He thought he was going to be a superstar baseball player, but his future went awry. When we meet him, he’s been running away for 12 or 13 years.”
Butler shares how the story pushes Hank toward redemption. “He’s numbing himself as a bartender, just drinking and living a bare minimum life. Then he’s thrown into chaos that forces him to fight for survival and protect those he cares about.”
“Caught Stealing” opens nationwide on September 10.
