Gerard Butler’s Movies Earned Him An Impressive $80 Million Net Worth, But There’s One Role He Favors Most
Gerard Butler has had many standout roles, but he still loves one the most (and he wouldn’t mind returning to it in the future).
Gerard Butler has starred in several popular films across many genres, including The Phantom of the Opera, Law Abiding Citizen, and The Ugly Truth.
His choice of roles and the characters he portrays shows his versatility as an actor, but have you ever wondered which part he enjoyed playing the most? Was it the no-nonsense bounty hunter, Milo Boyd, in The Bounty Hunter? Or perhaps it was Captain Joe Glass in Hunter Killer?
It may be challenging for many celebrities to name one role that really stood out for them, but Butler can, and he has…
What Is Gerard Butler’s Favorite Movie He’s Made?
One of Gerard Butler’s most memorable roles was as Leonidas, the King of Sparta, in the 2007 film 300. This movie remains a fan favorite not just for his impressive physique but also for his fighting skills. Zack Snyder directed it, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, the film set a box office record, earning almost half a billion worldwide.
“If the script was good, I would do it,” Butler told People (via Digital Spy) of possibly taking on the role of Leonidas again. “I’ve got to feel that there’s a real reason to go there, to do a second one, because I loved the first. I hope that they write a great script, and I hope that I love it.”
And the moment we have all been waiting for: He admitted this was his favorite film to work on, saying, “That was my favorite role, and it would be great to go back there and have some fun with it.”
But what made this such a standout performance for Butler? For starters, it could have something to do with how his body looked. “That was the best shape I have ever been in in my life,” he told The Hollywood Reporter of his role.
“In some ways I was ruining my body, but I was looking amazing doing it.” But he was not always confident that the film would be a success.
He recalled: “There were times you would walk around in your red cape and little leather underpants, and someone would point at nothing and say, ‘Look! A burning village!’ And I remember going, ‘Oh my God. This movie’s going to suck.'”
“When I first saw the final product, I was with 13 of my representatives and friends, and our jaws were dropping,” Butler said. “It was like, ‘Look at what Zack did!’ I can’t speak highly enough about him. As a director, as a creative, as a kind, excited, passionate guy.”
Although it was one of his most standout and enjoyable roles, it was not without its challenges. And we are not just talking about the intense fight scenes and grueling workouts. No, we are referring to the costumes. When asked about costume difficulties in a 2007 interview with Collider, Butler admitted some discomfort was definitely involved.
“A lot of chafing in the groin area. The weird thing is, the cape, I don’t want to sound like a pu*** because I trained really hard, but the cape, everything,” he said. “It’s like if you were to, say, hold up that tape recorder, that’s fine. But if you’re to say hold that up for 16 hours, it gets pretty hard.
And the cape is actually very heavy. When you first put it on, you don’t think about it, but you naturally have to tense your shoulders to wear it. By the end of the day, you’d be just trying to lift it up just to get some relief for your neck. I had knots in my neck for months…”
Was There A Job Gerard Butler Would Want Instead Of Acting?
With such an impressive net worth (according to Celebrity Net Worth, estimated at $80 million), we could probably safely say going into acting was the right choice for Gerard Butler. He has brought fans some of the most memorable films across multiple genres (including romance films, like the heart-rendering movie, PS I Love You), and he’s continued to work steadily in Hollywood.
But the entertainment industry is unpredictable and cutthroat, and many actors have probably contemplated what they would do instead if they were not able to make a living from their art.
Butler has an answer for what he would be spending his days doing were it not behind a camera, and the answer may surprise some — then again, how much do fans really know about Gerard Butler?
“… Going to work in a national park as a land commissioner or something,” he told Page Six when asked what he would be doing without acting. “I like the idea of being forced into — not forced into nature — but to have that as my everyday experience, to be in nature.”
He also spoke about his native Scotland and how beautiful the scenery was there. Adding, “I think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. And often my holidays are to places like Iceland, into the middle of nowhere.”
What Has Gerard Butler Said About Acting?
Gerard Butler’s fans have great respect for the star and his chameleon-like performances, but it was not his initial dream to become an actor. As for what he wanted to do? Well, believe it or not, he had planned on becoming a lawyer (despite it not being his passion, it is a respectable career choice).
“Becoming an actor was a massive transformation for me, but I didn’t have the heart to stick it out as a lawyer,” he told Square Mile. “I would have made a good one, except I hated the work – I was partying every night and I got fired.
But my bosses also knew that acting was my passion. They were very realistic with me and said I should just go and do what I really wanted to be doing instead of wasting my time at the office. They were right.”
Butler’s words emphasize how important it is to pursue something we are passionate about because it can relieve the mental and physical burdens that the wrong job can create.
