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Austin Butler chose to honor an agreement to play Tex Watson in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood rather than travel for a requested screen test for Top Gun: Maverick. He had not been offered the role of Rooster, and the available accounts do not show Tom Cruise personally competing with Tarantino.
What happened between the two projects?
In 2018, Butler was performing in the Broadway revival of The Iceman Cometh when his representative called with news that the Top Gun producers wanted him to travel to Florida for a screen test. Days earlier, Butler and Tarantino had shaken hands on a deal for Butler to play Tex Watson in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Butler decided to proceed with Tarantino’s film. In a later account, he explained that he had long wanted to work with the director; the Los Angeles Times described Tarantino’s work as something Butler had grown up revering. The role of Tex Watson was not large, but the chance to work with Tarantino mattered to him.
Did Austin Butler turn down Top Gun: Maverick?
That phrasing overstates what the reporting establishes. Butler was asked to screen test for Top Gun: Maverick, not given a confirmed offer to play Rooster. The Independent reports he was in the running for the part; Miles Teller ultimately played Rooster. The distinction matters: Butler chose an existing commitment over pursuing a casting opportunity, rather than rejecting a finalized role.
#1 Best Overall
![Top Gun: Maverick [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51MpwZT0fAL._SL160_.jpg)
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Were Tom Cruise and Quentin Tarantino personally competing?
No personal contest is established by the accounts. The shorthand in the headline refers to two film projects: Tarantino’s film, for which Butler had agreed to play a part, and the Top Gun production, whose producers requested a screen test. The reporting does not say Cruise personally contacted Butler, made him an offer, or competed directly with Tarantino over his services.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which role did Butler take?
Butler played Tex Watson, a member of the Manson family, in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. The alternate path was a screen test for Rooster in Top Gun: Maverick; that role went to Miles Teller. Butler’s decision therefore came down to keeping a role he had already agreed to and pursuing a long-held ambition to work with Tarantino, rather than choosing between two confirmed parts.
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Rank #4
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Rank #2
![Top Gun: Maverick (Special Bonus Features) [Blu-ray] [Region Free]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/512FXJLF+bL._SL160_.jpg)
- Thrilling sequel to the 1986 classic Top Gun
- Starring Tom Cruise with Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, and Jon Hamm
- Features jaw-dropping aerial combat sequences and stunning visuals
- Region Free Blu-ray – plays on all Blu-ray players worldwide
- Must-have for fans of Tom Cruise, action blockbusters, and aviation films
Sources
- Los Angeles Times, on Butler’s agreement to play Tex Watson and his longstanding admiration for Tarantino.
- The Independent, on the requested Top Gun: Maverick screen test and Butler’s consideration for Rooster.
- Esquire, interview with Butler published February 1, 2024.
- Backstage, interview with Butler published March 13, 2023.
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