Austin Butler’s Heartbreak Over Lisa Marie Presley’s Praise
When 30‑year‑old Austin Butler walked out of the theater, tears were in his eyes—thanks to a heartfelt shout‑out from the man who once ruled the world, Elvis, and his own girl‑boss daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.
A Moment That Felt Like a Silent Concert
- Backdrop – Butler just wrapped the biopic Elvis, stepping into a role that had been waiting, somewhere, for a perfect match.
- Lisa’s Applause – 54‑year‑old Lisa Marie screamed “spectacular” without a second thought, and that struck the actor harder than any set‑piece.
- Actor’s Reaction – “I want everybody to love the film, obviously, but the pressure I have really felt is doing justice to Elvis. The positive response from Lisa Marie Presley brought me to tears,” he admitted.
From a Before‑the‑Dawn Self‑Tape to a Nighttime Dream
Former Switched at Birth star Austin didn’t just jump in; he took a bus‑stop break‑in, recorded himself on a phone, and set the world’s toughest expectation on a small screen. The first take felt like a hollow echo in a wax museum.
- First Attempt – He attempted “Love Me Tender” from the comfort of his bedroom, but the tape lacked the spark, feeling like a static‑filled radio broadcast.
- The Nightmare – A particularly vivid dream had his mother, Lori, dying all over again, a haunting echo of Elvis having lost his own parent at 23.
- The Turnaround – “I then sang Unchained Melody…but not to a lover—it was for my mom, not Elvis, not anyone else,” he confessed, showing the emotional depth that bolstered his performance.
What’s Behind the Tears?
Watching the emulation of a cultural icon, the actor felt the weight of expectations, not only from Hollywood but from a family that had felt the sting of losing a mother in the same formative age. That resonance made watching the teary reaction from Lisa Marie’s “spectacular” praise feel’s like the biggest, unearned victory of his life.
A Light‑Hearted Side‑Note on Acting
He joked that if he could act like a cat chasing a cucumber in the studio, he might pull off the human side of Elvis. “The second time I tried, the room felt alive, and the moment of control must have been stories in the dark,” he told The New York Times.
Takeaway
Austin Butler’s tears are a flat‑line reminder that the line between performance and life is thinner than the curtain of a stage. In his own words, the ripples in the movie’s seawall were a nod to the songs of Disney’s dreams, echoing through the wrists of every fan who listens to both Love Me Tender and Unchained Melody.
