Austin Butler doubles down on his famous method approach for his new film, Caught Stealing, where he takes on Hank Thompson, a former baseball star swept into a dangerous treasure hunt across New York City.
Butler, 34, spoke with Variety about bringing his immersive technique to the role, revealing how he transformed his on-set experience into a lived-in performance. He described the East Village apartment that doubles as Hank’s space on screen, saying he “played music, danced around, and ate Chinese food in there,” to erase the line between acting and reality. He even slept on set overnight, waking to the crew entering while he was in his underwear, a vivid reminder of the lengths he goes to in order to stay in character.
“The more I can do to trick myself, the more important it is,” Butler explained, noting that the film’s set environment—open above with lights and cameras—can easily break the illusion. He added that playing a character who resembles himself in some ways can be frightening because it leaves him with nowhere to hide, pushing him to confront vulnerability head-on.
The character Hank Thompson is an elite former athlete whose career path was interrupted by injury, and Butler is careful to match that shift in physicality. To portray a man who once rode the edge of athletic greatness but is now out of peak shape, he worked out and, he says, drank a lot of beer to build the needed “thickness.” He even gained about 35 pounds for the role, joking that he now has “a whole section of Celine pants that I just can’t even wear anymore.” He has previously discussed the weight gain with Men’s Health, underscoring his commitment to authenticity.
Caught Stealing also stars Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, Liev Schreiber, and Bad Bunny. The film is an adaptation of a popular graphic novel bearing the same name and is directed by Darren Aronofsky, a filmmaker known for intense, immersive projects such as The Whale, Mother!, and Black Swan. Aronofsky has said he loved Butler’s deep dive into the part but encouraged him to ease up at times to maintain a certain looseness and avoid overdoing the method approach.
The plot centers on Hank Thompson’s unlikely journey through a high-stakes treasure hunt across New York City, with the danger and intrigue framed by Butler’s committed performance. Caught Stealing is set to open in theaters on August 29.
Aronofsky’s collaboration adds an extra layer of anticipation for fans of both comics adaptations and thriller dramas, as the director’s guidance reportedly helped balance intensity with a more relaxed tempo in the final take. Butler’s dedication to fully inhabiting Hank’s world, even at the cost of personal discomfort, has already generated buzz about the film’s potential impact and the depth of its lead performance.
Additional notes from the press materials and recent appearances hint at a strong ensemble and a visually arresting NYC setting, which could translate into a gripping adaptation that blends action, suspense, and character study. The film’s August release date positions it as a late-summer drama with potential crossover appeal for fans of adaptation storytelling and high-energy thrillers.
Commentary: This rollout highlights Butler’s ongoing commitment to completely inhabiting his roles, even when that means pushing physical and mental boundaries. It also marks another collaboration with Aronofsky that could push both the actor and the director into new creative territory. If the tone and pacing align with the premise, Caught Stealing has the potential to stand out as a stylish, tightly wound thriller built around a transformative performance.
Summary (implied): A high-concept thriller anchored by a deeply committed lead performance, Caught Stealing combines a dramatic character arc with a pulse-pounding treasure hunt across New York, guided by a director known for intense, immersive storytelling. The August release will be a barometer for how this ambitious adaptation lands with audiences.