“How to Train Your Dragon” Is Dedicated to Gerard Butler's Late Mom: Her Death Is a 'Deeply Felt Wound'

Gerard Butler is showing gratitude for nan measurement How to Train Your Dragon honored his precocious mom, Margaret Butler.

In an question and reply pinch UK-based power position Magic Radio Wednesday, June 11, nan Scottish actor, 55, shared really touched he was that head Dean DeBlois dedicated nan live-action remake of nan primitively animated franchise to his mother, who died successful February astatine 81.

"I was truthful excited for her to spot it, but I had a emotion she wasn't going to make it. So Dean very kindly dedicated nan movie to her," Butler, who voiced Stoick successful nan franchise’s animated films, said.

"If Stoick had a mum, that would person been my mum," Butler added. "She was an astonishing woman, but she was strong, she was fiery and she was graceful and she was beautiful."

The 300 character besides shared really his mother knew, "since I was a kid, I wanted to beryllium an actor."

Never miss a communicative — motion up for PEOPLE's free regular newsletter to enactment up-to-date connected nan champion of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from personage news to compelling quality liking stories.

Speaking pinch The Hollywood Reporter successful an article published Thursday, June 12, DeBlois shared that he brought nan thought to Universal Pictures, truthful he could astonishment Butler pinch nan dedication.

"I knew that nan nonaccomplishment of his mother was a profoundly felt coiled and that he was having a reliable clip recovering from it," DeBlois said. "So to grant her pinch a dedication successful nan credits conscionable seemed for illustration nan correct point to do successful that moment."

How to Train Your Dragon follows Hiccup (Mason Thames), nan boy of Butler’s Stoick, who has grown up successful a nine that hunts and kills dragons. But erstwhile he happens upon Toothless, an injured Night Fury dragon, he nurses nan animal backmost to health, forming a adjacent relationship pinch him that ends up changing his colony forever. 

The movie besides stars Nico Parker arsenic Astrid, Hiccup's emotion interest, and Nick Frost arsenic Gobber nan Belch, nan colony blacksmith and Stoick's friend.

How to Train Your Dragon