Austin Butler's been getting a lot of praise for his Golden Globe award-winning role as the King in Elvis. That's in large part because Butler captured the right vocal balance of the Southern charm and proto-pop star charisma that helped make Elvis Presley one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century. During his award acceptance speech on Tuesday (Jan. 10) and a brief appearance in the Golden Globes press room, something else became glaring: Butler's regular speaking voice has started to sound a lot like that of Presley.
"I don't even think about it," Butler told the press about the lingering effects of playing Presley. "I don't think I sound like him still, but I guess I must because I hear it a lot. 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."
Some on social media mocked Butler's Elvis-eque delivery and likened it to method acting. Presley's family doesn't seem to mind, with Butler telling the press that he's "endlessly grateful" to Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley for how they "welcomed me into their family in such a beautiful way."
In a June 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Butler admitted that it can be hard to shake his Presley impersonation in everyday speech.
"At this point, I keep asking people, 'Is this my voice?' because this feels like my real [voice]," he said.
Before discussing dialect, Butler briefly reflected on his climb from Disney Channel teen star to the toast of Hollywood.
"You know, I remember going to so many auditions and never booking anything, and I just feel so grateful right now," he said before admitting that he was still recovering from "sort of blacking out earlier" after being awarded his first-ever Golden Globe.
