Austin Butler responds to claims he still speaks like Elvis: “There’s pieces of my DNA that will always be linked”

11 January, 2023

Austin Butler

Austin Butler has responded to confusion from fans over his voice, which many have claimed has changed since he played Elvis Presley in the 2022 biopic of the rock star.

The actor picked up the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama at tonight’s (January 10) Golden Globes 2023 for his role in Elvis.

After Butler’s acceptance speech was shown, viewers took to Twitter to share their confusion about his voice. “Anyone else weirded out that Austin Butler has just kept his Elvis voice??????” One Twitter user asked. “So like … did Austin Butler’s voice get stuck after Elvis? ‘Cause I remember watching him on Zoey 101 back in the day and uh he didn’t sound like that,” another added.

Speaking to press backstage at the Golden Globes, Butler responded to comments about his voice. “I don’t think I sound like him still, but I guess I must because I hear it a lot,” he said.

“I often liken it to when somebody lives in another country for a long time and I had three years where that was my only focus in life, so I’m sure there’s just pieces of my DNA that will always be linked in that way.”

 

Butler also paid tribute to Presley during his acceptance speech. “You were an icon and a rebel, and I love you so much,” he said while closing out his speech. “You are remembered and I will never forget.”

Elsewhere at the Golden Globes 2023, Angela Bassett became the first actor to win a major award for a Marvel movie, while Michelle Yeoh reflected on her career in Hollywood as she picked up an award for Everything Everywhere All At Once. You can keep up with all the winners at the Golden Globes 2023 live on NME.com here.

In a four-star review of Elvis, NME wrote: “Butler is so compelling as ‘Old Elvis’. Bloated by overindulgence, he lounges in his pitch-black, top-floor hotel suite popping pills to numb the pain – and popping more to keep him awake for those never-ending casino concerts.

“In one moving final scene, footage of Butler is spliced together with an actual performance of Presley filmed shortly before he died. He’s clearly intoxicated and an assistant has to hold the microphone for him as he plonks away at the piano. The overwhelming feeling is of sadness, but strangely admiration too.”

The post Austin Butler responds to claims he still speaks like Elvis: “There’s pieces of my DNA that will always be linked” appeared first on NME.