The mysterious state of Austin Butler‘s voice has been the source of much online speculation lately, and now Vanessa Hudgens is chiming in on the topic.
It all started when an Instagram user named Ryan Scott reposted a Page Six interview with the Elvis star’s voice coach on Thursday (Jan. 19), claiming the deep, gravelly twang the actor has adopted since filming the biopic is “genuine” and may just well be permanent. “He went to the Lady Gaga school of Oscar campaign acting,” Scott quipped.
Hudgens, who dated Butler for nearly a decade from 2011 to 2020, not only noticed the post, but reacted. “Crying,” the High School Musical alum wrote succinctly in the comments section.
Needless to say, fans and followers have pinpointed a noticeable change in Butler’s voice since he wrapped the Baz Luhrmann-helmed film, even digging up old clips from red carpets and other interviews to dissect the differences.
However, Butler’s transformation into Elvis Presley has earned him a flood of critical acclaim and awards show accolades. So far, the actor has raked in the Golden Globe for best performance by an actor in a drama film, as well as nominations for BAFTAs and SAG Awards.
He also addressed the chatter around his voice in the Globes press room after his win, telling the assembled press, “I don’t think I sound like him still. But I guess I must because I hear it a lot. I often liken it to when somebody lives in another country for a long time. I had three years where that was my only focus in life, so I’m sure there’s just pieces of my DNA that will always be linked to him.”
Check out the Instagram post about Butler’s voice and Hudgens’ comment below.
