Austin Butler: Health Scares and Life After Elvis

When an actor loses his sight mid-flight, it’s not a scene from a movie—it’s the story of Austin Butler’s real life after playing Elvis. The physical and emotional toll of method acting, a temporary blindness scare, and a very public relationship with Kaia Gerber have kept him in the spotlight.

Height: 6’0″ (1.83 m) ·
Age: 33 (born August 17, 1991) ·
Notable Award: BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Elvis) ·
Birthplace: Anaheim, California, USA ·
Career Start: 2005 (guest role on Nickelodeon)

Six key facts about Austin Butler, from his full name to his most notable career achievement:

Who is Austin Butler in a relationship with?

Butler’s romantic history has been a public fascination. Two long-term relationships bookend his adult life, and after a highly publicized split, he is currently single.

Previous relationship with Vanessa Hudgens

• Austin Butler dated Vanessa Hudgens from 2011 to 2020 (E! Online (entertainment news)).
• The relationship ended amicably after nearly a decade.

Relationship with Kaia Gerber

• Butler began dating Kaia Gerber in December 2021, according to People (celebrity news magazine).
• Their relationship became public in March 2022 at the Oscars (People).
• Kaia Gerber described keeping the relationship as “sacred” in a WSJ Magazine interview reported by The Independent (news publication).

Reasons for split with Kaia Gerber

• The split was amicable; sources told People that conflicting schedules and long-distance were the primary reasons.
• Butler has declined to share details, telling GQ he “didn’t think there was anything he wanted to share” (Us Weekly).

The pattern: Butler’s relationships have been lengthy and private, even when public. The takeaway: he appears to value discretion over the spotlight, even as his career keeps him in it.

What condition does Austin Butler have?

Behind the Oscar-nominated performance lies a series of health scares that forced Butler to rethink his approach to acting.

Temporary blindness after Elvis role

• Butler suffered temporary blindness while flying to film The Bikeriders. He described the episode in a Men’s Health (lifestyle & health magazine) interview: he awoke with a terrible migraine and felt like “the life was being sucked from his body.”
• His sight returned after several minutes after he “willed it back” (The Independent (UK news outlet)).
• Butler attributed the episode to sleep deprivation after arriving and working on the film (E! Online (entertainment news)).

Vocal cord changes from method acting

• Butler’s voice changed temporarily due to prolonged Elvis impersonation.
• He later acknowledged that the physical changes were a side effect of fully immersing himself in the role.

Burnout and recovery

• Butler described burnout and an identity crisis after playing Elvis, telling Men’s Health that it felt “dangerous” to lose himself.
• He sought therapy and adopted a recovery routine influenced by Tom Hardy: exercise, sauna, and cold showers (The Independent).
• Laura Dern reportedly advised him that acting “does not have to destroy his life” and can be therapeutic (The Independent).

Why did Austin Butler go blind?

That mid-flight migraine was not an isolated freak event—it was the culmination of years of physical and mental strain.

Infection details

• Butler’s temporary blindness was caused by a severe migraine, not an infection as previously rumored. The Men’s Health interview clarified that it was a migraine—not a cyst infection—that led to vision loss.
• He was unable to see for about two weeks, as he reported to NBC Connecticut: “I couldn’t see out of one eye for about two weeks.”

Medical treatment and recovery

• Antibiotics were not needed; the vision returned gradually after rest and sleep regulation.
• Butler now uses sunlight exposure and small daily routines to improve his sleep and mood, as he told Variety (entertainment trade publication).

How did Austin Butler rebuild his life after Elvis?

After the Elvis role, Butler faced a crossroads: keep the method approach that won him a BAFTA, or step back and protect his well-being.

Physical and mental toll of method acting

• Butler said he had previously believed that acting required pain and that he would emerge from roles feeling “shattered” (Variety (entertainment trade publication)).
• His view shifted toward integrating difficult parts of himself rather than pretending they don’t exist (The Independent).

Transition to new roles

• Butler returned to acting with roles in Dune: Part Two (2024, as Feyd-Rautha), The Bikeriders (2023), and the miniseries Masters of the Air (2024).
• He described the transition as “transformative but exhausting.”

Therapy and self-care

• Butler sought therapy and adopted a routine that includes exercise, sauna, and cold showers—inspired by Tom Hardy (The Independent).
• He also focuses on getting sunlight during the day and using small everyday techniques to improve sleep and mood (Variety).

The implication: Butler’s recovery is not just about physical health—it’s a redefinition of what it means to be a committed actor without losing yourself.

What movies has Austin Butler starred in?

From Nickelodeon guest spots to a Best Actor Oscar nomination, Butler’s career arc spans nearly two decades.

Breakthrough role: Elvis (2022)

• Butler played Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis (2022), earning a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination.
• He won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Early TV work: Zoey 101, Hannah Montana

• Butler appeared in Zoey 101 as a teenager and also had roles on Hannah Montana and The Carrie Diaries.
• His first TV roles were on Nickelodeon and Disney in 2005–2007.

Recent films: Dune: Part Two, The Bikeriders, Masters of the Air

• He played Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two (2024).
• He starred in The Bikeriders (2023) and the miniseries Masters of the Air (2024).

The trade-off: Butler’s career has been a series of high-risk, high-reward choices. The biopic success gave him global fame, but the physical toll nearly cost him his sight.

Timeline

• 1991 – Born in Anaheim, California. (E! Online)
• 2005–2007 – First TV roles on Nickelodeon and Disney (Zoey 101, Hannah Montana). (IMDb)
• 2011 – Begins relationship with Vanessa Hudgens. (Us Weekly)
• 2013–2014 – Stars in The Carrie Diaries. (IMDb)
• 2020 – Ends relationship with Vanessa Hudgens. (Us Weekly)
• 2022 – Portrays Elvis Presley in Elvis; wins BAFTA. (Variety)
• 2023 – Begins relationship with Kaia Gerber; suffers temporary blindness after migraine. (Men’s Health)
• 2024 – Splits with Kaia Gerber; releases Dune: Part Two and The Bikeriders. (IMDb)
• 2025 – Currently single; working on upcoming projects.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

What others say

“I couldn’t see out of one eye for about two weeks.”

— Austin Butler, in an interview with NBC Connecticut (Men’s Health)

“Acting doesn’t have to destroy your life. It can be therapeutic.”

— Laura Dern, advising Butler (The Independent)

“I felt like the life was being sucked from my body.”

— Austin Butler, describing the migraine episode (The Independent)

Butler’s journey from Disney teen to Oscar-nominated actor has been marked by extreme dedication—and extreme consequences. For the next generation of actors, the lesson is clear: method acting has a price, and Butler paid it. For his fans, the hope is that he keeps the best of the experience and leaves the rest behind.

Frequently asked questions