How a Bathrobe Audition Helped Austin Butler Land the Role of Elvis

How a Bathrobe Audition Helped Austin Butler Land the Role of Elvis

Austin Butler’s journey to become Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic which received critical acclaim was not an ordinary one. His remarkable Portraya wins earned him widespread praise at the Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA, and even garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. However, landing such an iconic role involved more than just soft-tackling critics on TV chat shows and touring Western Europe in order to promote the film. There were also instances of his personally identified, off-beat humour; an unusual location for auditions and scenes filmed entirely at home – including the bathtub scene where he reenacted wearing a bath-robe with unzipped trousers.

The Struggle to Secure the Role of Elvis

Austin Butler’s Rise to Stard

Well before gaining the part of Elvis, Austin Butler had already become a rising star in Hollywood. Known for his roles in television programs and films, Butler was as yet not a name that householders knew. However, his persistence and devotion to acting combined eventually brought to him an opportunity almost unequalled in his field—acting America’s most legendary musician of all time, Elvis Presley Critical Acclaim and Awards

Butler’s performance in Elvis is not only a show of his acting talent but also proves that he can emulate Presley’s charisma, weakness, and legendary stage presence. His part won him wide acclaim, followed by Golden Globe Awards and BAFTAs. He was also nominated for the dearly sought after Best Actor Academy Award.

The Unconventional Road to Becoming Elvis

Encouragement from Vanessa Hudgens

Interestingly, Austin Butler’s journey to play Elvis in a movie began from a casual remark made by his then-girlfriend, Vanessa Hudgens. When the two of them were strolling out admiring holiday lights, one of Presley’s Christmas songs came over the radio. Hudgens instantly remarked on the likeness between Butler and Presley, urging him, “You’ve got to play Elvis! ”

Butler had previously been told countless times that he did resemble the rock ‘n’ roll legend, but never took it seriously. Yet this suggestion, as well as others that followed in its wake would ultimately put Butler on course to become just such an understudy for Elvis Presley. (related to the last two audio messages Butler plays today, the first one in which he mimics Presley’s voice.)

It was only a month after Hudgens’ suggestion, that Butler’s agent called with some exciting news. Baz Luhrmann would be making an Elvis Presley biopic. For Butler, this was almost surreal. He remembers how the hair rose on his arm as he heard the news, giving new force, renewed energy to his determination to play this role.

Once the decision was made, Butler immersed himself in preparation for his role as Presley. His movement coach, singing teacher and dialect trainer became part of the character-building process, one that he insisted on doing right from start to finish in order that no outside doubts should plague at all when the time came for auditions.

Baz Luhrmann Searches All Over The World For An Actor To Play Elvis

Call for Worldwide Casting

Experience the bright lights and big stages of Luhrmann, who is known for his highly stylized cinema. He decided in search across all countries at once including hosting his own auditions in the US, England, Canada, Australia, even New Zealand.

Butler’s First Attempts at Auditioning

Butler first sent in a tape of himself doing “Love Me Tender”; however, he was not happy with the results, thinking his focus was all wrong. He found himself concentrating too much on external factors — such as imitating Presley’s facial expressions and movements — and this felt superficial to him. Unable to believe in his own acting, Butler resolved not to send the tape to Luhrmann.

Luhrmann was casting the net wide, and considering several other major stars for the role of Presley at that time: Ansel Elgort Harry Styles and Miles Teller among them. For Butler, the pressure was enormous. He had already lost one high-profile part to Teller in Maverick and was not about to let it happen again.

The Bathrobe Audition Tape

A Personal Link with Elvis Presley

After a difference of only three years, Presley lost his mother when he was 23 while Butler did not experience this loss until the same age. This touch of the supernatural harmonized chronologically with Butler’s remarkable discovery of a significant parallel to their lives. Before, if not for one sentence in the day’s manuscript, he would have still in his memory left out some unconscious page of text.

This connection deeply touched Butler, and also deeply influenced his understanding of the emotional obstacles that Presley had likely faced. The Audition That Changed Everything

One night, Butler awoke at 2 a.m. after having dreamed of his mother and felt overcome with grief and emotion. Urgently, he linked himself to Presley’s own experience of loss. It was not long before Butler began imagining how Presley might have transferred such emotions into his songs. He thought him somewhat like a musical vampire, needing blood. Butler would try to do the same.

Despite any reservations that Butler may have held about sending the footage, his agent convinced him to do so. Why? It resulted in a very moving audition, during which Luhrmann was brought to tears. Deeply touched by the vulnerability and emotional truth of Butler’s performance, Luhrmann decided to meet him in person. The Denzel Washington Connection

An Unexpected Endorsement

At roughly the same time, Luhrmann received an out-of-the-blue call from none other than Denzel Washington. Although the two men hadn’t yet met personally, Washington had participated in a Broadway version of The Iceman Cometh with Butler.

Washington was lavish in his praise, telling Luhrmann “You re now about to meet an actor I’ve been onstage with. You will not believe this young man’s work ethic. There is simply no minute that he won’t give to art.” This glowing recommendation only served to increase Luhrmann’s determination to have Butler work with him. Five Months of Auditions

A Gruesome Tale

butler flew to New York and had a three-hour conversation there with Luhrmann. This talk was just the start of a long five-month audition process, full of collaborative discussions and various tests around the country.

The Screen Test Challenge

In fact, though Luhrmann discussed his role lengthily with Butler, he still had to prove whether or not he had it by actually singing and performing on screen. He prepared several songs and monologues. But just as everything seemed set, Luhrmann changed the stakes during one of their last rehearsals–the director told him to sing totally different songs, stuff that Butler had never rehearsed before!

This sudden alteration was a test of Butler’s ability to adapt; Luhrmann wanted to see how the actor would handle being forced onto set. Although he left feeling uncertain after his screen test, it was his obstinacy that eventually won through.

The Call That Changed Everything

Baz Luhrmann’s Dramatic Announcement

A week after the screen test, Butler received a call from Luhrmann. In typically florid style his voice sounded despondent to Butler, who therefore thought he had lost what he had been gunning for. However, then Luhrmann gave him the life changing news: “Do you ready to fly, Mr. Presley?” He had made it.

At Last: A Journey Fueled by Passion and Perseverance

Austin Butler’s road to becoming Elvis Presley was one of emotional depth, unexpected connections, and relentless dedication. His performance had it all with a bathrobe audition, personal ties to Presley’s story, and the support of key figures like his girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens and actor Denzel Washington. The portrayal of Butler as Presley plays testimony not only to his dedication craftsmanship and artfulness in performance–but also his ability to bring real feeling home for each performance given.

FAQs

  1. What made Austin Butler’s audition tape so special? Butler’s audition tape, recorded in a bathrobe, was filled with raw emotion, as he drew from personal experiences of grief that mirrored Presley’s own life.
  2. Who recommended Austin Butler to Baz Luhrmann? Denzel Washington, who had worked with Butler on a Broadway play, gave an unsolicited recommendation, praising Butler’s work ethic and talent.
  3. How long did the audition process take? Butler’s audition process lasted five months, filled with numerous discussions, screen tests, and spontaneous challenges from Luhrmann.
  4. What awards did Austin Butler win for his role as Elvis? Butler won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award, and he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
  5. How did Vanessa Hudgens influence Butler’s journey to playing Elvis? Hudgens was the first to suggest that Butler should play Elvis, which became a catalyst for his determination to land the role.

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