Austin Butler really does still sound like Elvis Presley, we swear; it's not just our overactive imaginations. As the king of rock ‘n' roll in Baz Luhrmann's biopic, Butler took home the Golden Globe on Tuesday night for Best Actor in a Drama, Motion Picture. When California native Butler entered the stage to accept his award, his voice sounded eerily similar to that of the King.
Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture
Fans have been making comparisons between Butler's cadence as an older actor on shows like The Carrie Diaries and Switched at Birth and that of Elvis Presley since the Elvis press tour kicked out at last summer's Cannes film festival.
It came up in the red carpet pre-show on E! with Butler demurring, insisting he couldn't hear it. The Tupelo accent was there throughout his acceptance speech, in which he thanked everyone from the film's director, Baz Luhrmann, to actor, Tom Hanks, to his late “mom,” to Elvis Presley.
Following his victory, Butler did talk to the reporter who had asked the question “Even though I don't believe I still sound like him, I've been told that I do so often that I've come to accept it. That long period of time spent in a foreign nation is typically a good analogy.
Austin Butler says embodying Elvis was a “tricky tightrope” to walk: “Making it feel as though it’s happening for the first time right there… otherwise you feel like you’re at the wax museum.” https://t.co/uRzGEpFqpS pic.twitter.com/4B0xHZDV9v
— Variety (@Variety) January 11, 2023
I dedicated three years of my life to it, so I can safely assume that some of his genes have made their way into mine.” It appears to be the natural conclusion of Butler's prolonged exposure to Presley's music and surroundings.
He has mentioned in the past that he didn't communicate with his loved ones for 3 years while he was practicing and performing as Elvis. Butler put in extensive work to perfect his impersonation of Presley's voice, one of the singer's most defining characteristics.
The actor previously explained the specifics of his method to EW, saying, “I'd hear him utter a single word and I'd clip just that portion off so I knew how he articulated that word.”
I recorded every word he uttered, every diphthong he used, and every musical nuance he infused into his delivery, and I've put together my own personal collection. A quote from him: “I would take an interview or a speech that he made on stage when he is talking to the crowd and I would rehearse it as though I was trying to get it to be accurate.”
“In that manner, the distinction between my voice and his was completely obscured. Then my dialect coach would be there to tell me, “This is off a little bit,” and I'd hone my skills. Just keep refining it till you've got it as narrowed down as possible.”
He has apparently become so accustomed to their tones that he no longer distinguishes between them. Don't be unkind if the voice bothers you; if he keeps winning prizes this season, the connection between him and the King will only strengthen.
