Austin Robert Butler was born in Anaheim, California, to Lori Anne Howell, an aesthetician, and David Butler. From a young age, he had a fascination with movies of all kinds. When he was just 13 years old, his life took an unexpected turn when he was approached by a representative from a background-acting management company at the Orange County Fair. This chance encounter marked the beginning of his journey in the entertainment industry.
With the guidance of his newfound representative, Butler began taking acting classes and soon landed a recurring role on Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide from 2005 to 2007. His friend Lindsey Shaw, who was also a cast member on the show, introduced him to her manager, who offered to represent him, further solidifying his career as an actor.
Butler's first credited role was as "Toby" in the Hannah Montana episode "Oops, I Meddled Again" in 2006. This was followed by his first speaking role as "Dannifer" or "Wrong Danny" in Zoey 101 in 2005. He then landed a small but memorable part in Hannah Montana in 2007, where he got to play the role of a boy who gets his shirt covered in soda.
Butler's big break came in 2007 when casting directors began to recognize him from his numerous auditions and he was given the opportunity to play the part of "Jake Krandle" in the new Nickelodeon series iCarly. His first episode, titled "iLike Jake," was set to air later that year.
