Austin Butler Says He Knows Elvis’ 1 Big Regret
One might think Elvis Presley’s biggest regret was divorcing Priscilla or becoming addicted to prescription drugs. Either guess would be wrong. Austin Butler, who deeply researched the subject before portraying Presley in Elvis, says the singer’s No. 1 regret involved a movie he never got around to making.
Austin Butler talks about Elvis between bites
During a Hot Ones spicy chicken wings challenge on First We Feast, Austin Butler related several “mind-blowing” details he learned while investigating the real-life Elvis Presley. Asked his opinion on the Love Me Tender singer’s surprisingly extensive filmography, Butler noted a distinct difference in the movies he made before and after his two-year stint in the U.S. Army.
In between dabs of progressively spicier sauces, Butler spoke of reading the 2016 Ray Connolly book, Being Elvis: A Lonely Life. He said it broke his heart to learn that Presley thought his pop music was forgettable and deeply regretted “never making a classic film” or being taken seriously as an actor.
How he prepped to play Presley
Butler also spoke of getting into — and staying in — the character of Elvis in the earliest days of his rock ‘n’ roll career. For instance, Butler and co-star Tom Hanks, who played smarmy “Colonel” Tom Parker, maintained an in-character pen pal correspondence via typewritten notes.
Shortly after receiving his 2023 Golden Globe Award for Elvis, Austin Butler attributed his slightly-southern drawl to the three years he spent perfecting his portrayal of Presley. Describing his connection with “the king” as DNA-deep, Butler told ET Online he unconsciously adopted Presley’s patois as people sometimes do after an extended stay in a foreign country.
Butler told Jimmy Kimmel that to prep for the part, he immersed himself in all things Elvis, including watching film footage “obsessively,” plastering his walls with pictures, and practicing Elvis’ one-of-a-kind chuckle while walking the beach.
As if by premonition, Butler began rehearsing before he even knew the Elvis movie was in the works. He and his friend, explains Daily Actor, were motoring around Christmastime in Los Angeles to look at holiday lights when an Elvis song came on the radio, and Butler sang along.
Noting Butler’s innate ability to mimic the King, the unnamed friend said he’d be just right to play Presley. Weeks later, Butler’s agent called to say Baz Luhrmann was casting the biopic.
With his work as Tex Watson in Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood in the can, Butler stopped auditioning for any other parts while he focused on learning everything about Elvis via interviews, records, books, and documentaries.
Learning that he and the Blue Suede Shoes singer each lost their mother when they were 23 triggered a dream of his own mom’s demise. Waking up in tears, Butler asked himself, “What would Elvis do with that?” and recorded a romantic song in his bathrobe. The spontaneous demo made its way to Luhrmann, which, said Butler, caught the director’s attention.
Lurhmann later concurred, telling the Los Angeles Times that Butler’s candid rendition of “Unchained Melody” felt more like a spycam peep than a movie audition. He said advance notice of the actor’s dedicated work ethic helped Butler land the role coveted by Harry Styles and Miles Teller.
Austin Butler has already won plenty of awards
Since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival last year, Elvis has wowed audiences worldwide. It has racked up an impressive number of awards, including 2023 BAFTA Best Leading Actor and AACTA Best Lead Actor prizes for Butler.
Currently, Elvis is in the running for several Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture, Best Sound, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
