Austin Butler, Ex Vanessa Hudgens’ ‘Elvis’ Historical past Defined

They’re all shook up! Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens have each recounted the story of how his Elvis biopic function got here to be — however followers have seen some delicate variations within the tales.

The Spring Breakers actress, 34, and Butler, 31, dated for 9 years earlier than Us Weekly broke the information of their cut up in January 2020. Forward of their breakup, Hudgens gushed over the Switched at Start alum throughout an look on Stay With Kelly and Ryan.

“Final December, we had been driving alongside and we had been listening to Christmas music, after which an Elvis Presley Christmas track got here on,” she stated in August 2019. “He had simply dyed his hair darkish — he’s a pure blond — and I used to be taking a look at him and he was singing alongside and I used to be like, ‘Babe, you must play Elvis.’”

On the time, the Second Act star stated she was “so, so proud” of her then-beau for his main profession transfer. (Butler was formally solid as Elvis Presley within the Baz Luhrmann venture in July 2019.)

“He’s all the time been so inspiring to me. Like, his work ethic is in comparison with nobody,” Hudgens added. “I’m all the time so in awe of him and I’m so excited that that is occurring for him.”

Butler put his coronary heart and soul into the function, which earned him his first-ever Golden Globe win earlier this month. The California native gave a shout-out to Priscilla Presley and the late Lisa Marie Presley whereas accepting his honor. (Lisa Marie died two days after the awards ceremony at age 54 after struggling cardiac arrest.)

Because the June 2022 premiere of Elvis, the Life Sudden alum has continued to embody the titular character — particularly together with his talking voice. “It’s humorous to me as a result of I don’t even give it some thought,” he confessed to The Los Angeles Times after being nominated for an Academy Award on Tuesday, January 24. “I suppose after three years of doing every thing that I may to deal with this one objective of making an attempt to liven up Elvis on this movie, I feel that there’s sure muscular habits that should pop up. If I used to be making an attempt to sound like Elvis, I’d sound very totally different proper now.”

When the 2023 awards season started weeks prior, Butler appeared again on his path to portraying the late “Blue Suede Footwear” crooner. Throughout The Hollywood Reporter‘s Actors Roundtable, the Zoey 101 alum informed practically an equivalent story to Hudgens’ from 2019 — however noticeably left her identify out of the dialog.

“The month earlier than I heard that Baz was making the film, I used to be going to have a look at Christmas lights with a pal, and there was an Elvis Christmas track on the radio and I used to be singing alongside, and my pal appeared over at me and goes, ‘You’ve received to play Elvis,’” he recalled. “I stated, ‘Oh, that’s such a protracted shot.’”

Butler added: “A few weeks later, I used to be taking part in the piano. I by no means actually sang for any of my associates or something. That very same pal was there and I used to be taking part in the piano. She stated, ‘I’m severe. You gotta determine how one can get the rights to a script.’ Then my agent known as and stated, ‘So, Baz Luhrmann is making an Elvis movie.’”

Whereas talking to The Los Angeles Occasions, the Dune: Half Two actor nonetheless averted straight mentioning Hudgens. “I used to be with my associate on the time,” he stated when requested concerning the piano story. “We’d been collectively for therefore lengthy and she or he had this kind of clairvoyant second and so I actually — I owe her loads for believing in me.”

Scroll down for an evidence of how Hudgens ties into Butler’s Elvis success: