Austin Butler honored the memory of Lisa Marie Presley following BAFTA win for ‘Elvis’

Following his recent win for Best Actor at the 2023 BAFTA awards for ‘Elvis’, Austin Butler took the time after receiving the award to speak to reporters.

Despite his joy at receiving the award, the actor notes that it is still a time of mourning.

“It’s been a really unimaginably tragic time, you know, and grief is a long process,” the actor told Variety. “And so my heart and my love was with [the Presley family] always. I feel honored to have been welcomed into the family. It’s a bittersweet time.”

Butler only had words of love for the Presley family

During his speech at Sunday’s BAFTA award show, the actor shared his love for the Presley family.

“I cannot thank you guys enough for your love, and for sharing with me who Elvis truly was. I hope I’ve made you proud. This means the world to me.”

Butler recalls the friendship he had with Lisa Marie Presley, saying that they immediately formed a deep friendship.

“There was no filter of how she felt. And she really opened her heart to me very quickly,” the actor told People.

“She’s a person who didn’t have anything to prove and wouldn’t open up to anybody and she opened up to me.” he revealed in ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.’ “We got so close so fast, and it’s just devastating.”

Butler was honored to play the King

Butler received accolades for his portrayal of the King of Rock’n’Roll, Elvis Presley, and was ecstatic at receiving the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play the rock star.

“How lucky I was to get to have that experience,” he said on taking on the huge role. “The feeling of standing on an international stage and looking out and looking down at the jumpsuit that I was wearing and realizing there were certain moments where I was seeing the closest thing to what Elvis would have seen during his ‘68 Special or whatever that was. I miss it a lot. I miss that experience.”

The actor was chosen to play the legendary singer by director Baz Luhrmann after Denzel Washington called him directly to convince him to hire Butler for the role.

“I received this videotape of this young man in a flood of tears playing ‘Unchained Melody,’ and I thought, ‘Wow, what is that? How is that happening?’ And then I got a call from Denzel Washington, who gave me a cold call.” Luhrmann told Entertainment Weekly.

“I did not know Denzel. And he said: I’ve just worked with this guy on stage. I’ve never seen a work ethic like it.”

Butler won a Golden Globe for the award last month and took the chance to thank Washington for his role in landing him the ‘Elvis’ role.

“Denzel, thank you for your kindness, thank you for your generosity and championing me when you did not have to,” the actor said during his acceptance speech. “I am so grateful for all eternity to you.”