Golden Globes

Will Austin Butler Ever Stop Talking Like Elvis?

The 31-year-old took home the Golden Globe for best actor in a drama motion picture for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in the 2022 film

Ever since embodying Elvis Presley in the blockbuster movie about the rock 'n' roll icon, Austin Butler has had a little more conversation in a different vocal range.

It's no secret that the former teen star's voice sounded almost identical to that of the King in "Elvis," but even months after the film was released, the tone remains the same.

During an interview on the red carpet at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards on Tuesday, Jan. 10, Butler addressed remarks on his voice shift, telling Laverne Cox that it's "hard for me to talk about."

“It’s sort of like you’re a kid and you’re growing that's why you have to draw lines on the wall,” he said. “I can’t really reflect on it too much it’s just this process that I don’t know the difference.”

Tuesday night, Butler won his first Golden Globe for best actor in a drama motion picture for his role in "Elvis" — a part for which he prepared by studying the '50s and '60s icon for two years, according to Priscilla Presley.

In an interview at the 80th award ceremony, the music legend's wife expressed her approval of Butler's portrayal of her husband, adding that "Elvis would probably be pretty impressed — really, truly."

"The voice was down to a tee. I mean I … couldn't believe it. I truly couldn't believe it," she said.

Priscilla Presley recalled that the "Elvis" actor took both voice and singing lessons leading up to the movie, as Butler sang all the classic tunes while filming.

Still, even amid the actor's big win, viewers seemed distracted by the deep vocal tone, taking to social media about the seemingly continued Presley impersonation.

Twitter user @schmvngpctrs tweeted, "Austin Butler still stuck in his Elvis voice," with three skull emojis.

Meanwhile, other users like @JomiAdeniran shared old clips of Butler during his teenage acting career when his voice was significantly higher.

Chris Schleicher joked on Twitter that Butler's newfound voice is comparable to when parents tell their kids not to cross their eyes or they'll get stuck like that.

However, some are fully embracing the change and coming to the star's defense. User @DEVINEFEMININE passionately tweeted, "STOP TELLING AUSTIN BUTLER TO SPEAK IN HIS NORMAL VOICE!! I LIKE IT!! A LOT!!"

User @morgannychloe is clearly also a fan, tweeting, "Now that Austin Butler has won, I can finally admit: I find his voice attractive as hell."

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

Copyright Today Digital Originals
Contact Us