Wednesday 25 May 2022 10:01 AM Austin Butler reveals he found it hard to get out of character after playing ... trends now
Austin Butler has revealed he found it difficult to separate himself from his character after playing Elvis Presley and spoke of being bedridden with a virus after filming.
The actor, 30, said he 'lost touch' with his own personality after playing the 'King of Rock and Roll' in Baz Luhrmann's upcoming biopic Elvis.
He told GQ Magazine: 'You can lose touch with who you actually are, and I definitely had that when I finished Elvis – not knowing who I was.'
Rock star: Austin Butler has revealed he found it difficult to separate himself from his character after playing Elvis Presley and spoke of being bedridden with a virus after filming
Appearing on the cover of GQ's June's issue, Austin cut a suave figure in two smart ensembles - a pink suit and a blue velvet suit paired with a satin teal shirt.
As well as the mental impact of playing Elvis, Austin also revealed he was bedridden for a week after falling unwell one day after wrapping up the filming in March 2021.
Austin said he was diagnosed with a virus that simulates appendicitis and said it was like his body shut down straight after filming.
He said: 'I woke up at four in the morning with excruciating pain, and I was rushed to hospital.'
Transformation: The actor, 30, said he 'lost touch' with his own personality after playing the 'King of Rock and Roll' in Baz Luhrmann's biopic Elvis
Despite the trials of the role, Austin admitted he still finds Elvis's music 'comforting' as he spoke of being a huge fan of the American singer.
'I've never loved somebody I've never met more than Elvis,' he added.
Speaking about the similarities between himself and Elvis, Austin revealed their mothers both passed away when he and the rock star were 23 years old.
Austin admitted it gave him 'chills' as he said he sought out things that could allow him to connect to the Suspicious Minds hitmaker on a personal level.
Dapper: Appearing on the cover of GQ's June's issue, Austin cut a suave figure in a blue velvet suit paired with a satin teal shirt, which gave a flash of his toned physique
The King: Austin (right) looked strikingly different as he transformed into the rock singer Elvis Presley (left)
The Switched at Birth star also revealed he got the chance to meet Elvis' ex-wife Priscilla Presley, saying the encounter left him teary-eyed.
His comments come ahead of the Elvis biopic's screening at Cannes Film Festival. The film stars Austin and Tom Hanks, who plays his infamous manager Colonel Tom Parker.
There's a lot of excitement around the Elvis Presley biopic from Australia's Baz Luhrmann, who is hoping to recreate the buzz he generated when he brought the can-can to Cannes with Moulin Rouge! 20 years ago.
The film chronicles the life and career of Elvis from his early days as a child growing up in Mississippi to his ascent as a rock and roll icon and movie star,
