After the Elvis press tour and countless public speaking appearances, the public can't help but notice Butler's continuous use of an 'Elvis-like' voice. While some have argued he is speaking like this on purpose, his vocal coach has recently come out to set the matter straight once and for all: why does Austin Butler still speak like Elvis?
Speaking to ABC Gold Coast, Irene Bartlett (Butler's vocal coach) answered the public's burning question, “Because of COVID shutdowns, he was working on it all the time and it’s difficult to switch off something you’ve spent so much focus [and] time on... He was never going to be — and [director] Baz Luhrmann didn’t want him to be — an Elvis impersonator..."
As for his viral 2023 Golden Globes acceptance speech, Bartlett said, “I feel sorry people are saying that [he's faking it], you know, it’s still acting [but] he’s actually taken [the voice] on board...I don’t know how long that will last, or if it’s going to be there forever.”
“What you saw in that Golden Globes speech, that’s him. It’s genuine, it’s not put on,” she added.
WATCH: Elle Australia interview Austin Butler. Article continues after video.
While Butler himself hasn't noticed the vocal change, when speaking to Entertainment Tonight, he found reason in the comparisons, explaining that his DNA is now linked that way.
“I think, I often liken it to when somebody lives in another country for a long time, and I had three years where that was my only focus in life, so I’m sure that there’s just pieces of my DNA that will always be linked in that way.”