Austin Butler has opened up concerning the late Lisa Marie Presley following his Oscar nomination for finest actor for his portrayal of her father, Elvis Presley, in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.

“[This role] appeared as if it was this not possible mountain to climb in entrance of me,” Butler instructed The truestarz on Tuesday morning, following the 2023 Oscar nominations. “There have been so many pitfalls and so I simply was specializing in one step at a time. And actually the factor for me was simply honoring the lifetime of this man and his household. And that’s why these moments when Lisa Marie and Priscilla [Presley] received to see the movie after which I first noticed them after… nothing I might do would ever high that. And particularly with Lisa Marie not being right here with us. I simply want she was right here to have fun at the moment with us.”

Presley handed away on Jan. 12 after an episode of cardiac arrest, just some days after Butler gained one of the best actor award on the Golden Globes for his portrayal. Her funeral occurred on Sunday, the place Butler and Luhrmann had been in attendance. Presley and her mom Priscilla had been very concerned within the making of the biopic and had been constantly sturdy champions of Butler’s efficiency.

“She was essentially the most simple and supportive particular person,” Butler stated about Presley. “I do know from all of the instances that we received to have fun collectively how we might have fun at the moment, you already know, and I want she and Elvis had been right here to get to expertise this time.”

He continued, “It actually places issues in perspective to the place finally, the factor I’m 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 reside for 3 years exploring the lifetime of her father. After I see moments like at the moment or after I really feel moments like at the moment, I’ve to actually take a second to go, ‘Okay, 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 instructed me how a lot it meant to her. I’ll actually cherish that for the remainder of my life.”

Butler stated the factor he’s most happy with from engaged on the movie isn’t solely portraying one of the vital well-known individuals of all time, but in addition overcoming his personal private fears.

“There have been so many issues that I needed to discover in myself: I’m very shy,” he defined. “I didn’t dance or sing or like being in entrance of enormous crowds, and so to beat these fears, in addition to simply the daunting job of embodying one of the vital acknowledged folks that’s ever lived — as a result of there have been so some ways wherein that might have gone unsuitable — that was this tight rope that I used to be strolling each day. To now be right here, I simply really feel relieved and grateful and joyous. The peaks are actually excessive proper now, the valleys are very low. However that’s what makes life really feel vibrant.”

Butler was nominated alongside Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Invoice Nighy (Dwelling) and Paul Mescal (Aftersun).

“So a lot of my heroes are my pals that I’m rooting for,” he stated. “I used to be actually excited to listen to that my good pal Barry Keoghan received nominated as effectively at the moment and Every little thing In every single place All at As soon as, and Banshees… I additionally simply adore Brendan and I’m so excited for him. I really like Colin and he’s been actually candy to me and Paul’s a pal of mine, as effectively and Invoice Nighy! It’s been a very fantastic half about this entire expertise, attending to be round all these different actors and artists, like Martin McDonagh — I’m so excited for him. There are lots of people; I might go on and on. I’m simply so happy with everyone, and so privileged and humbled to be included amongst all of them.”