Julia Butters - ContentMode

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Julia Butters

in Netflix film

The Gray Man

Julia Butters stars alongside Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, and Billy Bob Thornton, as Claire Fitzroy in Netflix’s The Gray Man, a Russo brothers action thriller centered around a highly skilled CIA operative, Six [Ryan Gosling], uncovering agency secrets which triggers a manhunt led by the psychopathic Lloyd Hanson [Chris Evans]. Claire is the niece of Donald Fitzroy, creator of the Sierra program in which Six is a part of, who despite needing a pacemaker due to a heart condition, is anything but weak-hearted. At first glance, the film seems to revolve around the friction between Six and Lloyd, however a war is empty without motive and collateral. Claire serves as the pacemaker of the film- she controls the heartbeat and flow through her connection with Six and Donald which places her as the emotional core. Butters is best known for her critically acclaimed role as Trudi Frazer, precocious and self-assured actor in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, opposite Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton. The Gray Man’s Claire holds a similar assertive nature opposite Ryan Gosling, and while Butters tells us that she tends to be timid herself, her proudest moments of working on the film seem to be those in which she asserts herself and has faith in her own creative decisions. She says that she, like every other teenager, can be socially awkward, however unlike every other teenager, exploring the Château de Chantilly with Ryan Gosling and Billy Bob Thornton is just another Thursday! In our interview with her, Butters tells us about her improvised lines, talks about music in the film and Olivia Rodrigo, details her love for story creation, and gives us a sneak peek into her next role!

Blouse and skirt: Patou

First, thanks so much for the interview! I wanted to start by asking about film in general since I see on your Instagram that you go to the New Beverly Cinema a lot. Do you feel that there’s a major difference between viewing films on the big screen versus at home?

Thank you for having me! Well, at a theater you get to share an experience with other people. You don’t have to know them, but there’s such a connection knowing that we’re all enjoying the same experience as we watch the same movie. You might get to watch people see a movie for the first time or it could be one of their favorites and they are seeing it again, but there’s definitely something so special about being able to share an interest with people without knowing anything about their lives. Theaters bring people together and I really like that.

Blouse , shorts , boots : Patou

I read that you write a lot of stories, songs, and scripts. Since you’re in school, I feel like it’s very different to write from your own creativity and feelings as opposed to writing for assignments. What has been your experience?

Writing prompts for school are actually my favorite, but because I have been writing since I was a baby it doesn’t feel like schoolwork. I like that I can create a world better than the one I live in and have everything go how I want it to without worrying about change. So, school writing and my writing are the same to me. I just really like telling stories. Just like with songs, you get to spill your thoughts and feelings into something that can sound so beautiful even when the inspiration behind it isn’t.

Sweater, shorts: Patou, bag: Chanel

On that same topic, I know you’re a huge Olivia Rodrigo fan! If you could pick one Olivia Rodrigo song to play during one scene in the film, what pairing would you choose?

As much as I want to say “Brutal,” it’s pretty on the nose so I’m gonna go with “All I Want” because some of the lyrics remind me of how Claire just wants to have someone loyal in her life to depend on without them leaving her. I improvised a small line in the maze scene when I was trying to get Six to come with me instead of fighting Lloyd – “Just go with me please, don’t leave me alone. You’re all I have.” In a way this reminds me of some of the lyrics in “All I Want.”

Blouse and skirt: Patou, heels: Larroude

Your father is a really talented Disney animator, and you started acting at a really young age so I assume you’ve been exposed to creativity and imagination for as long as you can remember. Is there any early vivid memory you can share of growing up in the entertainment sphere?

Ever since I was really tiny, I remember my dad taking me to go see improv for fun, because I liked putting on shows and playing make believe. I also sang “Let it Go” for all of my dad’s co-animators in full Elsa costume, he says they all still talk about it.

Sweater, shorts: Patou, bag: Chanel

Sweater: Patou

Now getting into your role as Claire Fitzroy in The Gray Man, first I want to say that you did such a fantastic job in this role! Claire is seen playing records a lot like Mark Lindsay’s “Silver Bird.” What do you think Claire’s music taste says about her as a character?

Oh my gosh thank you for asking me this because I’m so excited to answer it! There are lyrics in “Silver Bird” that remind me a lot of the relationship between Six and Claire, like “you’ll remain my friend, my friend until you’re mine,” to me that sounds like how they were friends while Donald was her protector, but once he’s gone, Six then takes on that protector role with her, and they become family. And then the lyrics go on to “Silver bird, fly my lady away, Silver bird, take her over the bay, Silver bird, give my lady a ride, and let her go see what’s on the other side,” which sounds like Donald talking to Six about Claire.

Blouse , shorts , boots : Patou

In your scenes with Ryan Gosling in The Gray Man and with Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, your character has a self-assured confidence and authoritative nature when speaking. Do you feel like you have a similar nature in terms of confidence?

It really depends, because a part of me is very shy and I’m a socially awkward teenager which is normal, but I’ve learned that I won’t allow people to try to make me feel disrespected or invalid. I do have a voice and I know how to use it confidently, but only if I really need to and especially when someone is being unkind. Overall, I would definitely say I’m a mixture of both timidness and confidence at the same time.

Dress: Patou, heels: Stella McCartney

When watching the film, I really loved the scenes in the Château de Chantilly. What was it like filming there, and were you able to explore the chateau?

I did! I got to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower with my mom and my welfare worker, Jenna, but we also got to walk the grounds of the chateau and climb up those scary-narrow staircases. Billy and I freaked out over the castle spiders that would come out at night. There were also these really freaky looking big black fish lurking in the moat that gave me and Ryan the shivers for sure. Moat fish.

Mini dress: Stella McCartney, Cat Kille: @svenkillecat

Mini dress, pants and shoes: Stella McCartney, Cat Kille: @svenkillecat

Mini dress: Stella McCartney, Cat Kille: @svenkillecat

Do you have a favorite on-set moment that you can share?

The “kick his ass” line that I say to Ryan before I run off out of the maze was actually improvised. I just said it for fun when it wasn’t even my coverage hoping the crew would maybe laugh, but then they called cut and the Russo brothers walked onto set and said “we’re gonna turn around and get a special shot on that line.” I was so excited because as a young actor working with such an amazing cast of people you look up to, it’s scary to improvise a line without telling anybody beforehand, so having Joe Russo come in and tell the whole set to use it and make it work was so amazing. I tell this story a lot because it is truly one of my favorites.

Sweater, shorts: Patou, bag: Chanel

Now looking to the future, you’re set to play Regina Fabelman in Spielberg’s The Fabelmans based on his own childhood. I would imagine that it would be such a challenge to be, first of all, playing a real person but even more daunting, one who is so closely related and understood by the Director. What was this experience like?

I play Regina Fabelman, a character that Steven wrote with his sister Anne in mind, whom I’m very close with. Anne is just so lovely and a brilliant writer and I look up to her so much. And yeah, oh my gosh, I was definitely a little nervous to play such a special character to Steven and be a part of this project, especially with how close the story is to his heart. But I’m so grateful as he made the whole experience such a safe environment and I met so many of my closest friends on that set like Keeley Karsten (who plays my sister), we are so close and keep in contact like we’ve known each other our whole lives.