Austin Butler is not the first actor to portray Elvis Presley, but his portrayal of the “King of Rock and Roll” has surely become one of the best so far. The film was a box office success and received critical acclaim for the story’s execution and Butler’s outstanding performance. After winning multiple awards, Baz Luhrmann’s film has now received a total of eight nominations at the 95th Academy Awards, including for Best Actor and Best Picture.
The Dead Don’t Die star has also got his first Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in the film. And Butler feels grateful to his ex-girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens for encouraging him to do his best in Elvis.
Austin Butler Credits His Oscar Nomination to Vanessa Hudgens
The Academy announced its nominations for the 2023 Oscars this week. The Austin Butler starrer was nominated under eight categories, including Best Actor, Best Sound, and Best Picture. The Carrie Diaries star also got his first Oscar nomination for his outstanding performance in the film.
Earlier this month, Austin Butler initially addressed Hudgens as a “friend” on The Hollywood Reporter’s Actor Roundtable. He shared that one of his friends suggested that he would be perfect to portray Elvis Presley on screen. One month after he learned that Baz Luhrmann was planning a movie on the “King of Rock and Roll.”
And during his recent interview with The Los Angeles Times, Butler confirmed that he was talking about the Polar star. When he was asked about the “friend” he was talking about, Butler said, “I was with my partner at the time.”
He also confirmed that he was talking about Vanessa Hudgens saying, “That’s right. We’d been together for so long and she had this sort of clairvoyant moment and so I really, I owe her a lot for believing in me.”
Butler has credited this nomination to his ex, Vanessa Hudgens. The couple started dating in 2011 and broke up in 2020 due to their busy schedule. Although they have parted ways, the Zoey 101 star still feels grateful to his ex.
Austin Butler Remembers Lisa Marie Presley
After receiving the Best Actor Oscar nomination, the Dude star talked about Elvis Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, who passed away on 12 January 2023 after suffering a cardiac arrest. Bulter talked about the singer’s reaction to the film saying, “She told me how much it meant to her. I’ll really cherish that for the rest of my life.”
He also said that she was the most “straightforward and supportive person” and also said that he wishes Lisa Marie Presley were here to celebrate this moment with everyone. Austin Butler also said that he is grateful for the time he spent with her.
While the film turned out to be one of his best performances, Austin Butler is also grateful for the film as it helped him to get over his fears. He shared that there were things he was hesitant about. But now that he has overcome his fears, he is “relieved and grateful and joyous” for himself and his accomplishments.
Elvis is available to stream on HBO Max.
Source: The Los Angeles Times
