They’re all shook up! Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens have each recounted the story of how his Elvis biopic position got here to be — however followers have seen some refined variations within the tales.
The Spring Breakers actress, 34, and Butler, 31, dated for 9 years earlier than Us Weekly broke the information of their cut up in January 2020. Forward of their breakup, Hudgens gushed over the Switched at Start alum throughout an look on Stay With Kelly and Ryan.
“Final December, we have been driving alongside and we have been listening to Christmas music, after which an Elvis Presley Christmas music got here on,” she mentioned in August 2019. “He had simply dyed his hair darkish — he’s a pure blond — and I used to be him and he was singing alongside and I used to be like, ‘Babe, it’s essential to play Elvis.’”
On the time, the Second Act star mentioned she was “so, so proud” of her then-beau for his main profession transfer. (Butler was formally solid as Elvis Presley within the Baz Luhrmann undertaking in July 2019.)
“He’s all the time been so inspiring to me. Like, his work ethic is in comparison with nobody,” Hudgens added. “I’m all the time so in awe of him and I’m so excited that that is occurring for him.”
Butler put his coronary heart and soul into the position, which earned him his first-ever Golden Globe win earlier this month. The California native gave a shout-out to Priscilla Presley and the late Lisa Marie Presley whereas accepting his honor. (Lisa Marie died two days after the awards ceremony at age 54 after struggling cardiac arrest.)
For the reason that June 2022 premiere of Elvis, the Life Sudden alum has continued to embody the titular character — particularly together with his talking voice. “It’s humorous to me as a result of I don’t even give it some thought,” he confessed to The Los Angeles Instances after being nominated for an Academy Award on Tuesday, January 24. “I suppose after three years of doing all the pieces that I may to give attention to this one purpose of attempting to liven up Elvis on this movie, I feel that there’s sure muscular habits that should pop up. If I used to be attempting to sound like Elvis, I might sound very totally different proper now.”
When the 2023 awards season started weeks prior, Butler regarded again on his path to portraying the late “Blue Suede Sneakers” crooner. Throughout The Hollywood Reporter‘s Actors Roundtable, the Zoey 101 alum informed practically an similar story to Hudgens’ from 2019 — however noticeably left her title out of the dialog.
“The month earlier than I heard that Baz was making the film, I used to be going to have a look at Christmas lights with a good friend, and there was an Elvis Christmas music on the radio and I used to be singing alongside, and my good friend regarded over at me and goes, ‘You’ve bought to play Elvis,’” he recalled. “I mentioned, ‘Oh, that’s such a protracted shot.’”
Butler added: “A few weeks later, I used to be taking part in the piano. I by no means actually sang for any of my buddies or something. That very same good friend was there and I used to be taking part in the piano. She mentioned, ‘I’m critical. You gotta determine how one can get the rights to a script.’ Then my agent referred to as and mentioned, ‘So, Baz Luhrmann is making an Elvis movie.’”
Whereas chatting with The Los Angeles Instances, the Dune: Half Two actor nonetheless averted instantly mentioning Hudgens. “I used to be with my associate on the time,” he mentioned when requested in regards to the piano story. “We’d been collectively for therefore lengthy and she or he had this type of clairvoyant second and so I actually — I owe her so much for believing in me.”
Scroll down for a proof of how Hudgens ties into Butler’s Elvis success:
