How Austin Butler Became the Voice of Elvis: A Journey Through the King's Cadence
Austin Butler's portrayal of Elvis Presley in the biopic 'Elvis' has captivated audiences, not only for his on-screen performance but also for his dedication to perfecting the King's iconic voice. From the process of achieving the Elvis voice to the aftermath of living with it, Butler's journey is a testament to his commitment to the role.
The Journey to Perfecting Elvis' Voice
Austin Butler's portrayal of Elvis Presley in the biopic 'Elvis' has been a remarkable feat in itself, but it was his dedication to mastering the King's voice that truly set his performance apart.
Austin Butler as Elvis Presley performing onstage in a white suit in Elvis (2022).
Up to three years were reportedly spent perfecting Butler's Elvis voice, particularly during the COVID-19 shutdowns. In order to accurately imitate the King of Rock's pronunciations and speech patterns, the actor gave painstaking attention to small details. 'I created my own archive of how he said every word and every diphthong, and the way that he used musicality in his voice,' Butler told Entertainment Weekly.
Austin Butler looking at someone off-screen in Elvis
He studied Elvis' interviews and performances, scouring YouTube for archive footage and watching every project in the superstar's filmography. From these clips, he was able to compile his own Elvis 'sound catalog.'
Austin Butler as Elvis Presley singing onstage in Elvis.
Butler worked with dialect and vocal coaches to master the voice of Elvis, rehearsing his speeches and dialogue over and over with them until he was able to match him 'beat for beat.' He focused on perfecting not just the sound but the rhythm and cadence of Elvis' speech. 'I'd just keep honing it in until I could get as specific as possible,' Butler explained.
Austin Butler performing as Elvis at the special in Elvis
He also paid close attention to how Elvis' voice and manner of speaking changed over the years. Through his careful observation, Butler noticed that Elvis' Southern twang was a lot stronger in the early recordings, but that it started to fade as he got more famous, which may or may not have been intentional. Elvis' voice also seemed to get deeper over the years, and he started to be more 'diligent' with his speech.
Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in a car in Elvis.
The Accurate Rendition of Elvis' Voice
Butler's hard work paid off in 'Elvis'; he managed to recreate the King's iconic and distinctive voice without slipping into a cheap impersonation or becoming a caricature of Elvis Presley.
Jacob Elordi as Elvis smiling in Priscilla.
Of course, comparisons between Butler and Priscilla’s Jacob Elordi as Elvis were inevitable when the latter's film was released in 2023. Based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir, 'Elvis and Me,' Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla' is told from the perspective of Elvis' much younger ex-wife. In 'Priscilla,' Elordi’s Elvis voice was more interpretive and less of an exact replica of the King’s than Butler's. The delivery of his dialogue was also more toned down.
Austin Butler as Elvis Presley smiling in Elvis.
However, the differences in their vocal renditions of Elvis make sense given the differences in their respective movies’ tone and style. Butler's Elvis voice and performance worked best for the theatrical spectacle of Luhrmann's 'Elvis,' whereas Elordi's approach, voice and all, was better suited to his movie.
The Aftermath: Living with the Elvis Voice
Because of how much time he spent getting it just right, it was difficult for Butler to stop speaking in his Elvis voice in the first place, a phenomenon he spoke publicly about.
'When you live with something for two years, and you do nothing else, I think that you can't help it,' Butler told Entertainment Tonight. 'It becomes a fiber of your being.' While he held onto it for quite some time, in February 2023, Butler vowed to get rid of his Elvis voice, and since then, he has gradually dropped the noticeable Elvis accent.
It seems as though Butler has ditched the Elvis act for good, but according to one of his more recent co-stars, he may have replaced it with an impression of another star. Butler is set to play Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, the heir to Stellan Skarsgård’s Baron Harkonnen, in the upcoming 'Dune: Part Two.' When 'Dune' star Timothée Chalamet was asked if Butler was still speaking in his Elvis voice, he revealed that Butler 'was already talking like Stellan Skarsgård' during the first cast reading on Zoom (via GQ), which he continued throughout production. Butler's staunch dedication to his roles clearly doesn't stop at Elvis, and he's a better actor for it.
