Austin Butler recently took home the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his role as Elvis Presley in Baz Lurhmann's biopic of the King of Rock n' Roll. While this nomination is undoubtedly a milestone, the honor is even more significant if you consider that Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis' only child, was present to support Butler on this special evening! Now, with an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of her father, it's clear that Butler has done justice to the memory of one of music's greatest icons...
But how did he score the coveted role? According to the actor, he was able to land the role of Elvis due to his good friend Denzel Washington. "Denzel was very kind, and we've done a play together, and, I mean, he's my hero," Butler said. "So I am very grateful to him because he sort of called Baz and vouched for me after we worked together." Imagine having Denzel Washington on your side?! Although Butler admitted playing Elvis wasn't something he could have ever imagined doing, the stars aligned, and he absolutely killed the role!
As Oscar season approaches, Butler can't help but think of the loss of his dear friend and the King's one and only child, Lisa Marie Presley. "You know, life is full of so many ups and downs, and while this is such a positive moment, the grief is just so deep with the loss of Lisa Marie," the Carrie Diaries alum shared. "I know that this was important to her, so I know she'd be really happy right now." Butler continued, "While we didn't know each other for a very, very long time, we got very deep quickly ... [and] that was the most meaningful thing to me."
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Now that Oscar season is approaching, Lurhmann's Elvis has nabbed 8 Oscar nominations, including Best Actor and Best Picture. We can only imagine how monumental these nominations must be for the entire cast and crew. "This was a labor of love for everyone involved," Butler told Billboard. We know Lisa Marie Presley must be smiling from up above!
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