Austin Butler Honors Late Mother During Hosting Debut

A candy dedication. Austin Butler was keen to indicate off his internet hosting chops on Saturday Evening Reside — however he hasn’t forgotten the place he got here from.

“Once I wasn’t performing, I used to be truly a very shy child,” the Elvis star, 31, mentioned in his Saturday, December 17, monologue on the late-night collection. “You understand, like actually shy, however fortunately my mother [Lori Butler] determined to homeschool me and my sister [Ashley Butler] so I used to be additionally bizarre.”

He continued: “I like my mother [and] a few of my favourite reminiscences from rising up are she and I watching SNL collectively. We’d watch each week, and though I had this crippling shyness, after I was together with her, I’d do something to make my mother snicker. … Fooling around together with her [was] what broke me out of my shell, and [is] the core of what began me in performing.”


Austin Butler
NBC

Whereas Austin admitted that his mom “is not with us” following her September 2014 demise, he needed to dedicate his Saturday internet hosting debut in her honor.

“I’ve been occupied with her so much this week, simply imagining how proud she can be that her son who used to not even be capable to order meals from a restaurant is now standing on this stage,” the Golden Globe nominee gushed in his monologue, after noting sister Ashley, 36, was watching from the group. “And tonight, anytime you see me doing a foolish voice or making a humorous face, that’s for you mother.”

Austin, who hosted SNL for the primary time on Saturday, was joined by musical visitor Lizzo to kick off the vacation season. The Zoey 101 alum, for his half, even starred in an array of festive sketches about Christmas, Hanukkah and generic vacation events. In a single memorable sketch, Austin dressed up as an aged girl, who was very overwhelmed to see “Jewish Elvis” (Sarah Sherman) carry out.

“I’m so attractive, I’m gonna explode,” the Carrie Diaries alum’s character quipped to Cecily Robust — whose SNL look marked her remaining episode as a forged member— and Ego Nwodim within the sketch after seeing Sherman, 29, in her Elvis-inspired costume.

Austin Butler Dedicates ‘Saturday Night Live’ Debut to Late Mother in Emotional Monologue Tribute

Lizzo, Austin Butler, and Cecily Robust.
Rosalind O’Connor/NBC

Whereas Austin has been performing since he was an early teenager, it was his 2022 position as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic that propelled him to worldwide fame.

“There’s individuals on the market that say ever since I performed Elvis, my voice has modified,” the As soon as Upon a Time … in Hollywood actor joked in his monologue, referring to his Elvis character’s particular dialect. “That it bought deeper, extra Elvis-y, however that’s not true. I’ve all the time gave the impression of this!”

Austin later concluded his SNL episode by crooning “Blue Christmas” with the Schmigadoon! alum, 38, in celebration of her remaining present look.

Saturday Evening Reside airs on NBC Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.

For extra, watch the clip above!