Golden Globes 2023: Austin Butler shocks with Elvis-inspired drawl

‘That CANNOT be his real voice!’ Austin Butler baffles fans by speaking in Elvis’ Memphis drawl while picking up first Golden Globe Award for role in music icon’s biopic

  • The 31-year-old actor was born and raised in Anaheim, California
  • He scored critical acclaim for his role as The King of Rock and Roll in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic and scooped Best Actor win at the Golden Globes on Tuesday 
  • His acceptance speech set Twitter alight, with many fans mocking his decision to speak with a Memphis drawl, despite filming the movie two years ago
  • Butler has previously opened up on the effects of playing Elvis, admitting he ‘lost touch’ with his own personality 
  • READ MORE: Golden Globes 2023 WINNERS: Michelle Yeoh and Colin Farrell triumph 

Austin Butler baffled Golden Globes 2023 viewers on Tuesday by speaking in an Elvis-inspired Memphis drawl as he picked up his first gong for his portrayal of the music icon. 

The Anaheim-born star, 31, was delighted as he scooped the award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his work on 2022 film Elvis – but the focus quickly switched to his incredibly different sounding voice. 

As the star began: ‘I just want to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press for this honor’ before praising his ‘mama’, fans clocked he was still speaking in his Elvis-style Memphis drawl from the movie, almost two years after filming had ended.

Sorry, what? Austin Butler baffled Golden Globes 2023 viewers on Tuesday by speaking in an Elvis-inspired Memphis drawl as he picked up his first gong for his portrayal of the music icon

One fan wrote: ‘Austin Butler’s voice is WILD that cannot be real’ while a second typed: ‘When is Austin Butler going to switch his voice back to normal?’

Another penned: ‘Austin Butler still stuck in his Elvis voice’ while one fan wrote: ‘austin butler using this elvis voice for his golden globe win…girl i’m losing my mind and busting out laughing.’

Another wrote: ‘Austin butler is committing to the voice bit until he dies huh i can’t take it’  while one fan wrote: ‘I’m sorry I cannnnotttttt take austin butler seriously with this fake voice sir I watched the carrie diaries wyd.’  

More fans wrote: ‘Austin Butler has one more chance to shut the Elvis voice off I swear to god’ while another suggested hiring an exorcist to switch Austin’s vocals: ”Okay now who is gonna award Austin Butler an exorcist to get this Elvis voice outta him.


All shook up? The Anaheim-born star, 31, was delighted as he scooped the award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his work on 2022 film Elvis (left in film and Elvis right) – but the focus quickly switched to his incredibly different sounding voice

GOLDEN GLOBES 2023: Winners at a glance

FILM:  

Best Picture – Drama: The Fabelmans

Best Picture – Musical/Comedy: The Banshees of Inisherin

Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama: Cate Blanchett – TAR

Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama: Austin Butler – Elvis

Best Actress – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy: Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy: Colin Farrell – The Banshees of Inisherin

Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture: Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture: Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Best Director – Motion Picture: Steven Spielberg – The Fabelmans

Best Screenplay Motion Picture: Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin

White Lotus’ Jennifer Coolidge accepting her win for Best Supporting Actress – Television Limited Series/Motion Picture 

 

TELEVISION: 

Best Drama Series: House Of The Dragon

Best Musical/ Comedy series: Abbott Elementary

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture: The White Lotus

Best Actress – Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture: Amanda Seyfried – The Dropout

Best Actor – Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture: Evan Peters – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Best Television Actress – Drama Series: Zendaya – Euphoria

Best Television Actor – Drama Series: Kevin Costner – Yellowstone

Best Television Actress – Musical/Comedy Series: Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary

Best Television Actor – Musical/Comedy Series: Jeremy Allen White – The Bear

Best Supporting Actress – Television Limited Series/Motion Picture: Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus

Best Supporting Actor – Television Limited Series/Motion Picture: Paul Walter Hauser – Black Bird

Best Supporting Actress – Television Series: Julia Garner – Ozark

Best Supporting Actor – Television Series: Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary

Singer Betheny Cosentino simply wrote: ‘Does Austin Butler realize he’s from Anaheim?

The star’s husky acceptance speech saw him become visibly emotional as he said: ‘I also want to say to my fellow nominees, you have turned in the most beautiful profound work and I am so honored and proud to be listed among you’   

‘I owe this to a bold, visionary filmmaker who allowed me the experience to take risks and I always knew I would be supported. I love you, Baz Luhrmann, thank you for believing in me in those moments that I didn’t even believe in myself. 

‘I’m so grateful to you I also want to thank my dance partner, the greatest dance partner I could have ever hoped for, Mr. Tom Hanks thank you. I also got to thank Denzel Washington Denzel, thank you for your kindness thank you for your generosity in championing me when you did not have to. 

‘I am so grateful for all eternity to you. I also want to thank our incredible producers and Warner Bros and the Presley family, thank you guys, thank you for opening your hearts, your memories, your home to me. Lisa Marie , Priscilla, I love you forever.

Can’t let it go: As the star began: ‘I just want to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press for this honor’ before praising his ‘mama’, fans clocked that he was still speaking in his Elvis-style Memphis drawl from the film, months after filming had ended’

‘I also want to thank my family, my sister is here with me tonight, Ashley, I love you so much I want to thank my dad who’s watching at home, I want to thank my mom who I know is smiling down right now mama.

‘I love you so much thank you for sacrificing so much for me. And, lastly, Elvis Presley himself, you are an icon and a rebel. And I love you so much. Thank you. You are remembered and I will never forget, thank you!’

The star failed to mention his girlfriend Kaia Gerber, 21,  during his speech. 

The actor also had a noticeable southern drawl when he was asked on the red carpet about his Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture nomination for his starring role in Elvis.

What? One fan wrote: ‘Austin Butler’s voice is WILD that cannot be real’ while a second typed: ‘When is Austin Butler going to switch his voice back to normal?

‘I feel honoured and privileged to be nominated and to be here with people I admire so much,’ he told Live From E!.

‘I feel very happy with the movie. There’s nobody like director Baz Luhrmann,’ he added.

Butler’s interview whipped social media into a frenzy as fans noticed the Anaheim native was speaking in like Elvis even though production on the film wrapped almost two years ago, in March 2021.

‘Austin, I love you but you have to drop the accent,’ one Twitter user pleaded.

Another tweeted: ‘I am BEGGING Austin to lose the Elvis accent.’

However, one fan jumped to his defence, saying his voice only serves to demonstrate his commitment to his craft.

‘The most Hollywood thing you can do is create an accent and stick to it,’ they said.

Austin was so dedicated to perfecting his role as Elvis in the renowned biopic released last summer that he didn’t see his family for three years as he prepped for the film in Australia.

Production for Elvis was postponed in March 2020 when one of its stars, Tom Hanks, was diagnosed with COVID-19 and hospitalized.

When the pandemic started, the Elvis set was shut down indefinitely. 

Butler declined an invitation to be flown back to his home in Los Angeles and instead used the lockdown as an opportunity to immerse himself in all things Elvis.

While speaking to British GQ, Butler said he turned his apartment into a ‘detective scene’ as he studied the real-life character that he would portray.

Pulling a Liam Payne? The singer shocked fans with a  ‘bizarre’ Irish-American accent when he was interviewed about the infamous Will Smith slap after the Oscars in March 2022

Siblings: The star was supported by proud sister Ashley on the night 

OMG! Ashley was beside herself as her brother was announced as the winner


Bond: The pair hugged as Austin went to accept his award

Shout out: Elvis’ wife Priscilla Presley and daughter Lisa Marie were in the audience

Emotional: Lisa Marie was in tears as the audience cheered Austin on

His idol: Brad Pitt looked delighted at a shout-out from Austin

‘Just images of Elvis everywhere, from every time period,’ he said.

He noted that the pandemic gave him extra time to dig deeply into his role.

‘I think the film would have been very different if we had started shooting at that point, and I’m grateful I had the time to let myself marinate,’ he added. 

By the time filming began he felt he had learned everything there was to know about Elvis. 

He had dedicated himself to listening exclusively to his music, and reading everything he could find about his life.

Butler told Variety that during this time, not only would Elvis be the ‘only thing’ he ever thought about, he would also speak in his voice because ‘this is what it takes.’ 

The actor had a southern drawl when he was asked on the red carpet about his Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture nomination for his starring role in Elvis

‘Austin, I love you but you have to drop the accent,’ one Twitter user pleaded 

Elvis chronicles the life and career of the late King of Rock and Roll, and Butler has generated Oscar buzz for his portrayal of Presley

He said: ‘During Elvis, I didn’t see my family for about three years. I was off in New York prepping with Baz and then I went to Australia. 

‘I had months where I wouldn’t talk to anybody – and when I did, the only thing I was ever thinking about was Elvis.’

He explained, ‘It’s the only thing I was focused on. I was speaking in his voice the whole time, so then I talk to my sister and she’s got to listen to that and she’s like “what are you doing?”

‘So I just had to be focused and yeah. This is what it takes.’   

Butler has previously opened up on the effects of playing Elvis, admitting he ‘lost touch’ with his own personality.

He told GQ Magazine: ‘You can lose touch with who you actually are, and I definitely had that when I finished Elvis – not knowing who I was.’ 

Emotional: Butler and shared a hug with Elvis director and co-writer Baz Luhrmann after notching his win for Best Performance In A Motion Picture – Drama

More support: The actor has had the support of Elvis Presley’s ex-wife Priscilla Presley and daughter Lis Marie Presley since the production of the biopic started

The King’s men and women: Both Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie Presley have been very open about offering their approval of Butler’s performance as The King of Rock n’ Roll and the biopic as a whole, which was driven by the vision of Luhrmann

Men’s club: Quentin Tarantino, Guillermo del Toro, Baz Luhrmann and Austin Butler rubbed shoulders for a photo or two at the 2023 Golden Globes

Sharing a moment; The Australian filmmaker, 60, chatted it up with Golden Globe winner Julia Garner, who won the Supporting Actress  for her role in the Netflix series Ozark

2023 GOLDEN GLOBES WINNERS – FULL LIST

Best Picture – Drama

Avatar: The Way of Water

Elvis

The Fabelmans – WINNER

TAR

Top Gun: Maverick

Against all odds: Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans earned top honor Best Picture – Drama despite being a box office flop

Best Picture – Musical/Comedy

The Banshees of Inisherin – WINNER

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Triangle of Sadness

Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama

Cate Blanchett – TAR – WINNER

Olivia Coleman – Empire of Light

Viola Davis – The Woman King

Ana de Armas – Blonde

Michelle Williams – The Fabelmans

Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama

Austin Butler – Elvis – WINNER

Brendan Fraser – The Whale

Hugh Jackman – The Son

Bill Nighy – Living

Jeremy Pope – The Inspection

King gets crowned: Austin Butler took home Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his titular role in Elvis 

Best Actress – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy

Lesley Manville – Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Margot Robbie – Babylon

Anya Taylor-Joy – The Menu

Emma Thompson – Good Luck To You, Leo Grande

Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once – WINNER

Best Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy

Diego Calva – Babylon

Daniel Craig – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Adam Driver – White Noise

Colin Farrell –  The Banshees of Inisherin – WINNER

Ralph Fiennes –  The Menu

 

Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture

Brendan Gleeson – The Banshees of Inisherin

Barry Keoghan – The Banshees of Inisherin

Brad Pitt – Babylon

Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All At Once – WINNER

Eddie Redmayne – The Good Nurse

Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture 

Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – WINNER

Kerry Condon – The Banshees of Inisherin

Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All At Once

Dolly De Leon – Triangle of Sadness

Carey Mulligan –  She Said

Head of the table: Angela Bassett earned Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 

Best Director – Motion Picture

James Cameron – Avatar: The Way of Water 

Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan – Everything Everywhere All at Once

Baz Luhrmann – Elvis

Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin 

Steven Spielberg –  The Fabelmans – WINNER 

Best Screenplay Motion Picture

Todd Field – TAR

Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan – Everything Everywhere All at Once

Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin – WINNER

Sarah Polley – Women Talking

Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg – The Fabelmans 

Best Picture – Animated

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – WINNER

Inu-Oh

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Turning Red 

Best Picture – Non-English language (Formerly Foreign Language)

All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany)

Argentina, 1985 (Argentina) – WINNER

Close (Netherlands, France, Belgium)

Decision to Leave (South Korea) 

RRR (India) 

Best Score Motion Picture

Carter Burwell – The Banshees of Inisherin

Alexandre Desplat – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Hildur Guðnadóttir – Women Talking

Justin Hurwitz – Babylon – WINNER

John Williams – The Fabelmans 

Best Song Motion Picture

Where the Crawdads Sing – Carolina

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – Ciao Papa

Top Gun: Maverick – Hold My Hand 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Lift Me Up

RRR – Naatu Naatu – WINNER

Best Drama Series

Better Call Saul

The Crown 

House of the Dragon  – WINNER

Ozark

Severance  

Epic: Director Miguel Sapochnik accepted Best Drama Series for House Of The Dragon

Best Musical/ Comedy series

Abbott Elementary – WINNER

The Bear 

Hacks

Only Murders in the Building

Wednesday 

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture 

Blackbird

Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story 

The Dropout

Pam & Tommy

The White Lotus – WINNER

Best Actress – Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture

Jessica Chastain – George & Tammy

Julia Garner – Inventing Anna

Lily James – Pam & Tommy

Julia Roberts – Gaslit

Amanda Seyfried – The Dropout – WINNER

Best Actor – Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture

Taron Egerton – Blackbird 

Colin Firth – The Staircase

Andrew Garfield – Under the Banner of Heaven

Evan Peters – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story – WINNER

Sebastian Stan – Pam & Tommy

His moment: Evan Peters earned Best Actor – Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture for Dahmer

Best Television Actress – Drama Series 

Emma D’Arcy – House of the Dragon 

Laura Linney – Ozark 

Imelda Staunton – The Crown 

Hilary Swank – Alaska Daily 

Zendaya – Euphoria – WINNER

Best Television Actor – Drama Series

Jeff Bridges – The Old Man 

Kevin Costner – Yellowstone – WINNER

Diego Luna – Andor

Bob Odenkirk – Better Caul Saul 

Adam Scott – Severance

Best Television Actress – Musical/Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary – WINNER

Kaley Cuoco –  The Flight Attendant  

Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building

Jenna Ortega – Wednesday 

Jean Smart – Hacks 

Well deserved: Quinta Brunson earned Best Television Actress – Musical/Comedy Series for Abbott Elementary

Best Television Actor – Musical/Comedy Series

Donald Glover – Atlanta

Bill Hader – Barry

Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building

Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building

Jeremy Allen White – The Bear – WINNER

Best Supporting Actress – Television Limited Series/Motion Picture

Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus – WINNER

Claire Danes – Fleishman Is in Trouble

Daisy Edgar-Jones – Under the Banner of Heaven 

Niecy Nash – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Aubrey Plaza – The White Lotus 

Best Supporting Actor – Television Limited Series/Motion Picture

F. Murray Abraham – The White Lotus 

Domhnall Gleeson – The Patient 

Paul Walter Hauser – Black Bird – WINNER

Richard Jenkins – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Seth Rogen – Pam & Tommy 

Best Supporting Actress – Television Series 

Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown

Hannah Einbinder – Hacks

Julia Garner – Ozark  – WINNER

Janelle James – Abbott Elementary

Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary

Blonde ambition: Julia Garner won Best Supporting Actress – Television Series for Ozark

Best Supporting Actor – Television Series

John Lithgow – The Old Man

Jonathan Pryce – The Crown

John Turturro – Severance 

Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary – WINNER

Henry Winkler – Barry

 

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