Can’t escape the King! Austin Butler went by way of in-depth coaching whereas making ready for his position within the 2022 Elvis Presley biopic — and his voice hasn’t been the identical since.
In July 2019, it was introduced that the As soon as Upon a Time … in Hollywood actor could be enjoying the legendary late musician within the Baz Luhrmann movie. When capturing for the mission started in early 2020, Luhrmann gushed about his main man and his tackle Elvis Presley.
“I all the time keep away from getting in and heralding the work we’re doing earlier than we do it, however in the course of the testing course of, his dedication, his transformative talents from the younger Elvis to past, he had been enjoying so very effectively,” the Moulin Rouge director mentioned to Deadline in March 2020. “He was terrific. There was such nice power and pleasure within the solid and firm, concerning the present we have been about to shoot.”
Forward of filming, Butler studied the “Can’t Assist Falling in Love With You” crooner’s mannerisms and his voice. Along with enjoying the character, he additionally sang on the soundtrack. In June 2022, The Shannara Chronicles star opened up about all of the coaching he did to grasp Elvis’ distinct sound.
“I sang day by day [while preparing and filming] and would do my singing workouts very first thing within the morning,” he mentioned to Leisure Weekly in June 2022. “It’s actually like a muscle. Via filming, I began noticing notes that I couldn’t hit to start with, all of the sudden, now I might hit these notes. I used to be widening my vary. But it surely’s not simply singing — you’re having to search out vocal mannerisms. That might be a bit difficult.”
After the film premiered, Butler’s “Elvis voice” grew to become a scorching matter of debate as he didn’t drop the act. When the Switched At Start alum hosted Saturday Evening Reside in December 2022, he poked enjoyable at himself and his “new voice.”
“There’s folks on the market that say ever since I performed Elvis, my voice has modified,” Butler quipped in his monologue. “That it bought deeper, extra Elvis-y, however that’s not true. I’ve all the time seemed like this!”
That subsequent month, Butler’s voice coach, Irene Bartlett, defended her shopper and praised the entire exhausting work he put into his portrayal — which finally earned him his first-ever Golden Globe award.
“What you noticed in that [2023] Golden Globes speech, that’s him. It’s real, it’s not placed on,” she shared, referring to Butler’s acceptance speech on the awards present. “I really feel sorry individuals are saying that, you realize, it’s nonetheless appearing [but] he’s truly taken [the voice] on board. I don’t understand how lengthy that can final, or if it’s going to be there eternally.”
In February 2023, the previous Disney star revealed he was making an attempt to shed his Elvis dialect whereas showing on BBC One’s The Graham Norton Present.
“I get rid of the accent, however I’ve in all probability broken my vocal cords with all that singing,” he confessed. “One tune took 40 takes.”
Preserve scrolling to see all the pieces Butler has ever mentioned about his voice:
