Elvis Presley was not there just character to play for actor Austin Butler – apparently he has it in his DNA.
The actor won the award for best performance in a drama for his role in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” at the Golden Globe Awards on Tuesday.
And audiences are still blown away by the 31-year-old’s role within the film – not a lot his acting, but his seemingly everlasting late rock ‘n’ roll inspired vocal transformation that has endured since Butler made the film.
Butler referred to the change – dubbed “the bullet” by Twitter users – backstage at the awards show, saying he couldn’t hear his Elvis-esque voice when he spoke, but admitted it was a part of him now.
“I do not think I still sound like him, but I suppose I even have to because I hear it rather a lot,” said Butler.
![Austin Butler; Elvis Presley](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/newspress-collage-25320417-1673462810036.jpg?1673444925&w=1024&1673444925)
“I often compare it to someone living overseas for a very long time, and for 3 years that was all I focused on in my life,” he continued. “So I’m sure there are only pieces of my DNA that may all the time be connected in this fashion.”
Nevertheless, viewers on Twitter seemed skeptical of his explanation, responding to a viral tweet in Butler’s statement, calling him to “be real” and ditch “pretentiousness” work.
“DNA doesn’t work like that, but keep talking,” one a critic tweeted.
![Butler responded to Twitter users questioning his lingering Elvis accent.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/austin-butler-56.jpg?w=1024)
“Method to a different level woah,” one other mocked.
Butler is used to being criticized for his changing accent by now, and even made fun of himself when he hosted Saturday Night Live last month.
“There are individuals who say that since I played Elvis my voice has modified,” he said within the December 17 episode. “That it became deeper, more Elvis-like. But that is not true. I all the time appeared like that. And I can prove it.
The previous Disney star then posted a snippet from an interview 10 years ago wherein his voice was artificially turned as much as resemble a cartoon squirrel.
Butler has spoken extensively about his dedication to an exuberant musical biography, revealing Diversity in December that he almost disappeared while working on the film – only to reappear as “The King”.
“During Elvis, I didn’t see my family for about three years. I used to be prepping with Baz after which I went to Australia [to film]. I had months where I didn’t check with anyone,” he told the newspaper.
“And after I did, the one thing I ever considered was Elvis,” he continued. “I spoke in his voice on a regular basis.”