11 Years Ago Today, an A-List Movie Star Made Their Arrowverse Debut (& Teased Their Acting Chops)

The Arrowverse never gets enough credit for its performances. People overlook it because it’s a TV franchise that’s famous for melodrama and bad CGI. However, the stars of The CW’s various superhero shows always give it their all. Look no further than Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen explaining to his wife, Iris West-Allen, why he’s not okay with his daughter teaming up with Eobard Thawne, or Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen finally letting it slip that he likes killing people in front of Prometheus. But it’s easy to give credit to the big dogs because they get to eat the most, not only leading their own shows but also crossovers.

The unsung heroes of the Arrowverse are the actors who come in for a cup of coffee and still make an impact. Tom Felton appears in only one season of The Flash, yet his character, Julian Albert, is one of the show’s standouts, serving as a rival to the titular hero before becoming an invaluable member of Team Flash. Starring in all of the Harry Potter movies doesn’t mean that Felton is the biggest movie star to appear in the Arrowverse, though. A Hollywood A-lister actually owes a lot to the franchise because it gave them a platform to show off their skills when they really needed one.

One of Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Appears in Arrow Season 3

Anyone who only catches the tail end of the Arrowverse probably thinks the franchise is nothing more than constant action and events. However, it keeps things pretty low-key at the start, especially on its flagship show, Arrow. After returning to Star City, Oliver works to rid his city of corruption by becoming a vigilante. He has to keep up his appearances, though, which means having hobbies and interests. The Verdant nightclub becomes Oliver’s baby, mostly because it doubles as the Arrow Cave. By Season 3, Oliver’s sister, Thea Queen, is a major part of the business, working hard to keep the lights on. In Episode 7, “Draw Back Your Bow,” she brings in a few DJs to audition, and the only one who stands out is Chase, played by Austin Butler.

Chase doesn’t get the job initially because he’s overconfident, but Thea has no choice but to turn to him after her second choice drops the ball. With his job secure, Chase makes a move, kissing Thea. While sparks fly, Thea doesn’t trust easily, so she keeps her distance, which turns out to be the right move. Chase later tries to poison Thea and reveals himself as a member of the League of Assassins. Wanting to avoid capture, he kills himself by consuming cyanide. Chase’s small role serves a purpose, teasing how far Ra’s al Ghul and his subordinates will go to achieve their goals, and there’s no way any of it works without Butler’s performance. Maybe the actor will get another chance to play in the superhero sandbox because he clearly understands what the genre is going for.

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After turning in his DJ disguise, Butler took a few years to find his footing. By 2019, though, he was ready for the big time, giving a memorable performance in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Playing a member of the Manson Family opened many doors for Butler, and he made the most of his opportunities, earning an Academy Award nomination for his turn as the King of Rock and Roll in Elvis. More genre work called his name after that, as he joined Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, a deranged psychopath hellbent on conquering Arrakis.

Feyd-Rautha wasn’t all that different from Chase, as both characters were loyal to their mission, even if it cost them their lives. But the world wants to see Butler take on a heroic role next. His name comes up frequently when discussing who will play Gambit in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s X-Men reboot, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Whether Butler finds himself in another superhero project or not, he’ll always have his brief stint in the Arrowverse, which proved that he had the makings of a star.

Arrow is streaming on Netflix.

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