Austin Butler left his family for years to make Elvis

It left him completely shaken.

Austin Butler left his own family for years to star in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.

The 31-year-old revealed this in an interview with Variety on Sunday, saying: “During ‘Elvis’ I didn’t see my family for about three years. I prepared with Baz and then went to Australia [to film]. I had months where I didn’t want to talk to anyone. And when I did that, all I could think about was Elvis. I spoke in his voice the whole time.”

Butler – who has just been nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as a superstar singer – was shooting the film Down Under during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given Australia’s strict lockdown laws, it would have been extremely difficult for him to return to the US to see his family, who live in California.

But the Hollywood heartthrob told Variety that he has no regrets, saying that sometimes making extraordinary sacrifices “is what it takes” to make a successful film.

It’s not the first time Butler has revealed how exhausting filming “Elvis” was.

Earlier this year, the Golden Globe nominee told VMAN magazine that he walked home from the set “in tears” after Luhrmann encouraged other studio execs to berate him while he sang, saying he “disliked the act like that.” as close as possible”.

“He [Luhrmann] took them to the recording studio,” Butler recalled. “He said, ‘I want you all to sit across from Austin,’ and he told them to talk to me. So they made fun of me and stuff like that while I sang.”

Explaining the director’s decision, Butler said, “When we were filming that moment when Elvis first walked on stage and he was yelled at by the audience, I knew what that felt like… I went home in tears that night . I really have.”

Meanwhile, the hunky blonde told Variety that the whole “Elvis” experience ultimately helped push him out of his comfort zone.

“Before filming Elvis, I only had a few moments where I danced in public because I was very, very shy. I’d always be a wallflower at a party,” he said. “I’ve never sung. I’m a very shy person, so I didn’t sing at all.”