Angela Bassett Defends Austin Butler’s ‘Elvis’ Accent: ‘It’s Hard to Let It Go’
Elvis has received lots of acclaim over the year. Still, the conversation over the movie’s merits has taken a backseat to the debate over Austin Butler’s voice.
Nearly a year after portraying the iconic singer, Butler still speaks in Presley’s accent. Many jokes have been made about the actor’s extended commitment to method acting. Still, he recently received some support from Angela Bassett, who went through a similar experience when starring in a biopic of another famous musician.
Austin Butler did everything he could to match Elvis’ persona
Austin Butler recently won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture. His speech was full of gratitude for his collaborators on Elvis, fellow nominees, and other artists who have inspired him throughout his life.
But people didn’t focus on the sincerity as much because Butler, who was born and raised in Anaheim, California, still talks like he’s the King of Rock and Roll.
The actor’s continued use of this voice makes different people feel different things. Some cynics balk at the latest example of a performer taking their craft so seriously that it borders on parody. Others just think it’s goofy. But what can’t be denied is that Butler’s connection to Elvis is genuine and deep-seated.
He spent five months auditioning before director Baz Luhrmann confirmed him for the role. Throughout the process, Butler sought out every song, interview, and book about Elvis to learn about the singer’s life.
To get the mannerisms down, he worked with a movement coach named Polly Bennett and told GQ that he studied certain animals who used their eyes in a similar way to Elvis. Austin Butler also became close with the Presley family, who highly approved of his performance.
Bassett relates to his inability to let go of the character
Butler’s presence in other big movies in the near future makes it impossible for him to speak like this forever (it’d be weird to hear Elvis in Dune: Part Two), but Bassett understands how difficult it can be to move on from such a role.
One of her breakthrough performances was portraying Tina Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do with It. Like Butler, Bassett worked strenuously to match Turner’s voice and movements accurately. Talking to The New Yorker, she recalled the hard time she had moving on after assimilating into this role and the steps Butler had to take to leave Elvis in the past.
“You so lived and breathed and began to see life through their perspective. You had to. They’re a part of you. I think that’s what’s going on with him,” Bassett said. “You have to bid it farewell, and it’s hard to let it go, because you’ve enjoyed it, you survived it, you delivered, and you’re proud of that. You got an opportunity, and you hit it out of left field. So it takes a moment to get back to regular you. But you’re different after this moment. Now you’re Austin, who did that great performance.”
Austin Butler has won multiple awards for his ‘Elvis’ performance
Butler has won a couple of awards in addition to his Golden Globe. He won the lead acting prize from the BAFTA Awards (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and the Australian Academy Awards. (Principal photography for Elvis took place in the country.) He was also nominated at the Screen Actors Guild and Critics’ Choice Awards but did not win.
Butler is also nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars and is considered one of the frontrunners for the award alongside Colin Farrell and Brendan Fraser. He’ll probably bust out the voice again if he has to give another acceptance speech.
