Unless you've totally missed the boat, you're aware that Elvis is set to hit theaters and become a potentially great biopic. This is largely thanks to Austin Butler, who is earning amazing reviews for his performance.
Butler put a lot into his prep for the film, and he's earned a new reputation in Hollywood for what he did in the movie.
Butler has revealed a lot about his prep for the movie, including how he got Elvis' voice down. We have all the details on how he did it below!
Austin Butler Is A Star On The Rise
If you're taking a look at people in Hollywood ready to break out and become a massive star, then you've definitely taken notice of Austin Butler. Things seem to be escalating for the young actor, and if things go right, he could be a mega star.
Butler has been in the industry since he was a youngster, and while he was no instant star, he has steadily plucked away in a variety of roles. Whether it's on the big or small screen, Austin Butler has found a way to stand out in projects.
Two years back, the actor turned heads with his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, a movie that featured an Oscar-winning performance from Brad Pitt.
As HITC, noted, "He may not have had a lot of screen time, but his performance is intense and brooding."
Butler has a new project on deck that seems destined to make him a star.
He's Playing Elvis Presley
Elvis is the newest biopic to take Hollywood by storm, and the previews alone have generated a ton of hype. This, of course, is thanks to what has been shown of Austin Butler's performance.
The guy looks the part, and he even sounds the part. It's never easy for a performer to slip into character, especially one that already has a major following, but it sure seems like Butler really pulled it off.
Like other before him, Butler is the one singing in the movie, and he had intense preparation to sing like The King.
"I sang every day [while preparing and filming] and would do my singing exercises first thing in the morning. It is really like a muscle. Through filming, I started noticing notes that I couldn't hit in the beginning, suddenly, now I could hit those notes. I was widening my range. But it's not just singing — you're having to find vocal mannerisms. That could be a little tricky," Butler revealed.
The overall performance seems great, but people really can't stop talking about Butler's speaking voice from the previews. As you can imagine, Butler went through a lengthy preparation process for that component.
How He Got The Accent Down
So, how in the world was Austin Butler able to get Elvis Presley's voice down? In an interview, the actor opened up about his process, and let's just say that he went the extra mile with his preparation.
"I'd hear him say a certain word and I would clip just that bit out so I knew how he said that word. 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 revealed.
Going through and watching old clips was helpdul for the actor.
"There are so many people out there who are super-fans, who compile these websites that have the most amazing resources/ I scoured all of them. I looked at every YouTube video I could find and every film that I could watch, and I started making my own [sound catalog]," he said.
Doing a lot of the heavy lifting on his own is one thing, but Butler was wise to start working with a professional to round things out.
"I would take an interview or a speech that he had on stage where he is talking to the audience, and I would practice it as though I was trying to get it to be. That way, I couldn't hear a difference between my voice and his. Then I would have my dialect coach there going, 'This is off a little bit,' and I'd practice. I'd just keep honing it in until I could get as specific as possible," he said.
This is common for many performers, though dialect coaches are typically seen as a well-kept secret in Hollywood.
Austin Butler is earning rave reviews for his performance in Elvis, so clearly, his hard work is paying off.