Austin Butler honors the late Lisa Marie Presley after his Elvis Oscar nomination. Butler starred in the auteur filmmaker Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022. Charting the story of the pop-icon from the perspective of his manager, the infamous Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), with whom he shared a turbulent relationship, Elvis quickly became a hit among critics and viewers, receiving uproarious acclaim for its cinematography, musical sequences, and - most importantly - for Butler's chilling lead performance. On Tuesday, Elvis was nominated across eight categories at the 95th Academy Awards, including a Best Actor nod for Butler.
Now, in a new interview with Deadline, on the heels of his first-ever Oscar nomination, Butler has paid tribute to Elvis' daughter and singer and songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, who died on January 12, leaving many devastated. In his tribute, Butler acknowledged that it is a "bittersweet" moment for him as Presley is no longer around to celebrate his success. But he cherishes the memories he shared with her, and views his nomination as a tribute to her life, and encouragement and support for him. Read what he said below:
“It’s a bittersweet moment right now because I just wish that Lisa was here to celebrate with us. But you know, I try to focus on how this can be a moment of honoring her. She was just amazing. There’s nobody like her. I’ve never felt the experience where I got so close to somebody so fast.”
How Lisa Marie Presley Contributed To Elvis
As Butler himself notes, Presley and her mother Priscilla were both proponents of the actor's role in Elvis. Presley, in particular, was floored by Butler's embodiment of her father's personality, so much so that she went on to exclaim that the star's performance was unprecedented, and was truly the only "accurate and respectful" rendition of Elvis that she could stand behind. Recently, only a few days before her death, Presley crashed Butler's red carpet interview ahead of his first-ever Golden Globe win for Elvis, hailing praises for the breakout star for his "truly mind-blowing" work in Luhrmann's biopic.
Besides standing behind Butler and Luhrmann as they strived to authentically recreate The King of Rock and Roll's tumultuous career, Presley also contributed to Elvis in a prominent creative capacity as she was consulted by Luhrmann over some aspects of the film. Although Presley wasn't attached to the production of the movie directly, her support for Elvis was deeply important in transforming it into the blockbuster it became. Before audiences turned to theaters to watch Elvis, many waited for the reactions from the Presley family to gauge if the movie honored the legacy of its titular icon. Given the kind of support Presley lent to Elvis, it turned viewers in droves to the cinemas, ultimately helping the movie become the second-highest-grossing music biopic of all time behind the Rami Malek-led Bohemian Rhapsody.
Presley's untimely and tragic death continues to impact those who loved her and her father, as well as a new generation of audiences who learned about their lives through Luhrmann's movie and Butler's performance. While Presley is dearly missed, it warms one's heart to know that Elvis has such a profound effect on the star that she ended her social media hiatus after her son's death only to show support for and promote the movie. Butler remembering Presley fondly is a testament to her legacy. Presley touched many lives during her lifetime, and as Elvis continues to make waves at the box office and awards shows, a large part of the movie's success will always be attributed to Presley's unwavering support and admiration for Butler.
Source: Deadline