After a year off to work on diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Golden Globes are back. The 80th ceremony celebrating television and film took place on January 10, 2023. Jerrod Carmichael served as host.
Austin Butler took home the award for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture. During his acceptance speech, fans were quick to notice how similar his voice sounded to the character he portrayed, Elvis Presley. Many took to Twitter to call out this weird behavior.
One user simply asked the question most viewers were thinking about. “I don’t know literally anything about Austin Butler at all, but does he actually talk like this #GoldenGlobes.” It’s a valid one.
One user responded, “I asked the SAME thing!”
Another joked, “It's his Theranos voice.”
Another chimed in with their two cents: “ya I think he talked like Elvis too long bc I swear he didn’t used to haha.”
“Is Austin Butler going to sound like Elvis forever or?” asked one user. The rest of us were thinking the same thing.
One user took it to the extreme: “Hot take: Austin Butler is a little bit cringe.”
Some Twitter users defended Austin and reminded others how hard it is to embody a person for years and let that all go. “Don't be a dick. The guy was Elvis for three straight years as a method actor. It's not easy to revert back,” one user wrote.
This is not the first time fans have wondered about a change in Austin’s voice. He addressed it when he hosted Saturday Night Live.
“There’s people out there who say that ever since I played Elvis, my voice has changed,” he said. “That it got deeper, more Elvis-y. But that’s not true. I’ve always sounded like this.”
Beyond his voice, Austin seemed genuinely humbled to be accepting his award. He made a point to thank the people he looked up to who were also present in the room. “I just am so grateful right now. I’m in this room full of my heroes. Brad [Pitt], I love you. Quentin [Tarantino], I printed out the Pulp Fiction script when I was 12. I cannot believe I’m here right now,” he said.
Austin acknowledged his fellow nominees and their work: “I just want to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press for this honor. I want to also say to my fellow nominees, you have turned in the most beautiful, profound work, and I am so honored and proud to be listed among you.”
And, of course, his speech would not be complete without honoring the man he portrayed, the king himself, Elvis Presley. “You were an icon and a rebel. And I love you so much,” Austin concluded.
Elvis died in 1977 at the age of 42. He is survived by his ex-wife Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie. Austin also acknowledged them in his speech, as they were also present at the ceremony.
