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Austin Butler won the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama award for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Elvis. The actor shared his feelings regarding the highly coveted award, thanking the king of rock and roll’s family for “welcoming” him into their clan and allowing him to “capture the essence of a man they love so much.”
Austin Butler triumphed over other heralded actors to win a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Elvis Presley
The highly competitive category of Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama included Hugh Jackman (The Son), Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Bill Nighy (Living), and Jeremy Pope (The Inspection). Winning a Golden Globe award sets Butler up for the Academy Awards with a possible nod in the same category. These nominations are announced on Jan. 24.
Butler received praise for his performance beginning with Elvis‘ premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where the film received a 12-minute standing ovation. The film received the longest ovation of the yearly film festival, beating the audience accolades shown to Tom Cruise, star of Top Gun: Maverick.
Elvis was embraced by the Presley family, who gave the film thier stamp of approval. Presley’s ex-wife Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie appeared alongside Butler and the film’s director, Baz Luhrmann, at several key events promoting the flick months before its June 2022 theatrical release.
The actor is ‘endlessly grateful’ to the Presley family
After winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama award, Butler thanked his family, his late mother Lori, those involved directly with the film, and the Presley family. Butler relayed the following message as he stood in front of his industry peers and Lisa Marie and Priscilla, who were also in attendance.
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“Thank you for opening your hearts, your memories, your home to me,” Butler said of the Presley’s while accepting his award. Later, in the pressroom, Variety’s YouTube channel captured Butler’s entire press interview moments after he walked off the stage of the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Again he thanked the Presley family, among others. He said to win the award in front of the Presleys, who “welcomed me into their family in such a beautiful way,” was terrific. “I feel so endlessly grateful to them that they provided this space for me to try and capture the essence of this man that means so much to them and that they love so much.”
Austin Butler also thanked an Oscar-winning actor for ‘championing’ his ‘Elvis’ role
During his acceptance speech, Butler thanked Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington for “championing” his role in Elvis. Butler noted, “I gotta thank Denzel Washington. Denzel, thank you for your kindness, thank you for your generosity, and for championing me when you did not have to. I am so grateful for all eternity to you.”
Washington helped Butler secure the role of rock and roll’s king by giving director Luhrmann a call to advocate on the actor’s behalf. The Oscar winner appeared with Butler in a 2018 Broadway production of Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh. Luhrmann spoke of his conversation with Washington regarding Butler to SiriusXM in June 2022.
“You’re about to meet an actor I’ve been on stage with,” Washington told Lurhmann. “You will not believe this young man’s work ethic; there is just no minute he won’t give to the art.” Washington’s stamp of approval, Butler’s audition, and a videotape of the actor singing “Unchained Melody” helped him secure the life-changing role.
