Austin Butler dedicates Oscar nomination to Lisa Marie Presley: ‘Bittersweet’
As Elvis star Austin Butler celebrates his first-ever Oscar nomination, he is honoring one of many girls who made the movie attainable: Lisa Marie Presley. The 31-year-old actor, who was nominated on Tuesday for greatest actor for his portrayal of Elvis Presley, mentioned “it is form of a bittersweet second proper now.” Elvis was additionally one of many 10 movies nominated for greatest image.
“I consider how a lot I want she was right here proper now to get to have fun with me. It is the identical factor I really feel with Elvis; I want that they might see these moments, ? It is simply form of unusual to have fun at a time of such deep grief,” Butler shared when he referred to as in to TODAY with Hoda and Jenna after studying of his nomination. “However I form of consider it as a option to honor her. That is for her.”
Lisa Marie died on Jan. 12 after going into cardiac arrest, however an official explanation for dying has yet to be determined. The singer’s sudden passing got here simply two days after she attended the Golden Globe Awards the place Butler took dwelling one of many evening’s prime awards.
“It was such a frightening enterprise, making this film, and it was additionally a really lengthy course of. I simply bear in mind these sleepless nights and all of the concern and all the chances for the way it may have gone incorrect,” Butler added on TODAY. “Being acknowledged simply feels very surreal and superb.”
Elvis director Baz Luhrmann spoke to Deadline from Paris after nominations have been introduced. He is nominated as one of many producers of the biopic.
“We have had some actually troublesome days,” Luhrmann mentioned, “and it was good to only get away and be right here for this.”
Luhrmann and Butler have been among the many stars who attended Lisa Marie’s memorial service at Graceland on Sunday alongside matriarch Priscilla Presley. In her first message since confirming her daughter’s dying, Priscilla thanked supporters.
“It has been a really troublesome time however simply realizing your love is on the market makes a distinction,” she tweeted on Monday evening.
Each Priscilla and Lisa Marie have been important in making the movie. Butler spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about their impression and mentioned no Oscar nomination tops after they “acquired to see the movie after which I first noticed them after.”
“It actually places issues in perspective to the place finally, the factor I am most grateful for is that I used to be in a position to spend the time that I had with Lisa Marie, and in addition the time that I had in attending to stay for 3 years exploring the lifetime of her father,” Butler mentioned. “After I see moments like immediately or after I really feel moments like immediately, I’ve to actually take a second to go, ‘OK, that is that is one thing to be actually grateful for.’ However nothing compares to that second I appeared in her eyes after she first noticed the movie, the place she advised me how a lot it meant to her. I’ll actually cherish that for the remainder of my life.”
MORE: Austin Butler reacts to Elvis nomination