There can be only one Elvis. Welcome to MsMojo, and in this installment of Verses, it’s the battle of the Kings with Austin Butler defending his crown against Jabob Elordi.
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00:00 There's been a lot of talk about the new Elvis.
00:02 Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:07 And in this installment of Versus, it's the Battle of the Kings,
00:10 with Austin Butler defending his crown against Jacob Elordi
00:13 to see who turned in the most authentic portrayal of Elvis Presley.
00:16 It's one of those things you hear, I think, from actors all the time
00:19 that you want, um, you want a challenge.
00:21 And, um, you know, this certainly was, was it.
00:25 Round One. The Voice.
00:29 Early in the production of Sofia Coppola's Priscilla,
00:31 the filmmakers decided that they didn't want a flashy Elvis mimic.
00:35 I mean, if you want to see, like, an Elvis impersonator,
00:37 you can go to Vegas, you know?
00:40 Um, I think it was about catching the essence of this person.
00:45 Rather, they sought to take a grounded approach,
00:47 putting more emphasis on Elvis the person rather than Elvis the performer.
00:51 This comes through in Jacob Elordi's restrained Elvis voice.
00:55 What are the kids listening to these days?
00:56 Bobby Darren.
00:58 Fabian.
00:59 And you?
00:59 While maintaining a hint of Elvis's signature baritone and tenor,
01:04 Elordi never goes over the top with the Elvis-isms we'd expect.
01:08 This suits the muted sadness of Coppola's film.
01:10 At the same time, Elordi leans more into the classic Elvis voice
01:14 when the press and fans are around, showing two sides of the king.
01:18 Because I have a different voice now when I speak in front of people,
01:22 you know, I have like a performing voice.
01:24 That's not how I speak when I'm at home.
01:26 And so, you know, it's not always as deep thing as, you know.
01:31 Austin Butler went all in on perfecting his Elvis voice,
01:35 meticulously studying how Presley said certain words
01:38 and working closely with dialect coaches.
01:40 Since Butler had to portray Elvis from his youth to his final years,
01:44 he also researched how his voice evolved throughout the decades.
01:47 It was just such a daunting thing.
01:49 And I really just was guided by my terror, really,
01:53 because I would go, "I don't know how to sing this one line of a song,"
01:57 or it would be a certain word that he said.
02:00 I couldn't figure out where the placement was
02:02 and what the architecture of my mouth should be.
02:05 Butler would fall asleep listening to recordings of Elvis' voice,
02:08 allowing it to worm into his subconscious.
02:11 The voice would infamously stay with Butler by the time the film was released,
02:15 and even well into awards season when he picked up a Best Actor Oscar nomination.
02:20 While Butler's commitment was almost comedic,
02:22 he ultimately nailed Elvis' voice without merely doing an impression.
02:26 -Hey, don't crap mud in the house, Billy!
02:28 -Really?
02:29 -Let me tell you something I gotta tell you.
02:30 -You said we could watch the movie!
02:31 -Get out! Get out of my goddamn house!
02:33 Each actor hits the notes they need to,
02:35 but Butler's Elvis voice is almost indistinguishable from the real deal.
02:39 Butler rocks this round.
02:41 -Of course, you gotta listen to the people that you love.
02:43 But in the end, you gotta listen to yourself.
02:51 Winner, Austin Butler.
02:53 Round 2 - Physical Transformation
02:56 Elordi actually dressed as Elvis for Halloween in 2020,
03:00 accompanying then-girlfriend Kaya Gerber as Priscilla.
03:02 This was an early sign that Elordi could get the Elvis look down,
03:06 but it never feels like he's playing dress-up in Coppola's film.
03:09 -The idea of Elvis is so daunting.
03:11 Nobody looks like Elvis.
03:12 He's such a big character,
03:13 and it was really important to me to not have a caricature that,
03:16 like, who could have the essence.
03:17 When portraying Elvis,
03:18 it's easy to let the makeup, hair, and costumes do most of the work.
03:22 Since Elordi is playing a more stripped-down version of Elvis,
03:26 he's able to focus on his inner turmoil,
03:28 conveying a larger-than-life personality who feels repressed inside.
03:32 -The whole world was built for us,
03:35 so it was almost impossible not to feel it.
03:39 Elordi seamlessly transitions between Elvis' cool-cat public persona
03:43 and the bleak man behind the glamour.
03:45 Much of this is expressed through Elordi's body language.
03:48 Finding the subtlety in a towering figure.
03:51 -Yeah, there's layers to it, I suppose.
03:53 I was just trying to figure out how to make him the normal person that he was.
03:59 As seen in Baz Luhrmann's film,
04:01 all of the applause and sold-out shows came at the expense
04:04 of Elvis' deteriorating health.
04:06 Although Butler was never pushed to such extremes,
04:08 playing Elvis did take its toll.
04:10 -So what you're telling me is you already had the moves.
04:14 -I had to work hard for those.
04:16 -Okay.
04:17 His training with movement coach Pauly Bennett was equally physical and mental,
04:21 delving into why Elvis danced rather than how he danced.
04:25 Butler integrated a variety of movement elements to his daily routine,
04:29 though they added to the tax on his body.
04:31 -I did everything from physical training just to keep my body able to move,
04:36 and I had to do a lot of rehab because, you know, I threw my shoulder out.
04:40 I was doing karate training every day.
04:42 In and out of physical therapy, the biggest hurdle came towards the shoot's end.
04:47 Butler was rushed to the hospital the day after wrapping,
04:50 spending the next week in bed.
04:52 The actor put years into this role, which comes across in every mannerism.
04:57 -What are you hollering at?
04:59 -The wiggle.
05:00 -For what?
05:01 -Them girls gonna see you wiggle.
05:02 -Move, man!
05:03 -Do more!
05:04 Both actors did their homework,
05:06 although Butler took the time to do all of the extra credit,
05:09 truly embodying Elvis onstage and off.
05:12 Another point for Butler.
05:14 -It was this constant back and forth.
05:16 That's the tricky thing is going back and forth between incredibly technical things
05:20 and then never losing the humanity.
05:24 Winner, Austin Butler.
05:25 Anyone who's seen Euphoria knows that Elordi can play a straight-up monster.
05:33 Elordi's Elvis is an idyllic partner compared to Nate Jacob's.
05:36 However, Elordi doesn't shy away from Elvis's obvious shortcomings as a husband.
05:41 -From Sid and Nancy and Barry Lyndon,
05:44 and I don't want to say specifically where they are,
05:46 you can go and find them if you like movies.
05:48 Yeah, so they're the two kind of specific references that I remember her giving us, right?
05:53 Elvis has little control over what movies he stars in or which songs he sings.
05:57 He projects this onto Priscilla, controlling what she wears and where she goes,
06:02 treating her like a doll that must be sheltered.
06:04 -Black hair and more eye makeup.
06:07 -I don't know if I like it.
06:10 -What do you mean you don't know if you like it?
06:12 He has violent outbursts towards her, almost immediately regretting each of them.
06:17 Elordi effectively balances Elvis's domineering and tender sides,
06:21 bringing out dimensions that only Priscilla truly understands.
06:25 For all of his faults, Elordi's Elvis still loves Priscilla enough to let her go.
06:29 -I need a woman who understands that things like this might happen.
06:33 Are you gonna be here or not?
06:35 Elvis's relationship with Priscilla isn't given as much attention in Lerman's film.
06:39 While Butler has natural chemistry with actress Olivia de Jong during their limited screen time,
06:44 the film tiptoes around the less flattering aspects of Elvis and Priscilla's relationship.
06:48 -Ooh, what could he possibly see in you, okay?
06:50 What do you two do up there all night?
06:52 And I just said, "Mom, Dad, we talk and we listen to music, okay? That's all."
07:02 Her young age never comes up, and Elvis's more abusive moments are omitted.
07:06 That's not to say the film ignores the ugly chapters of their romance.
07:10 -Do you remember the last time that the three of us sat down and had dinner together?
07:14 You won't even make love to me anymore.
07:17 When the marriage inevitably ends,
07:19 we feel the pain from both parties while sensing the love that'll never die.
07:23 Even at its grittiest, the relationship can still feel romanticized,
07:27 although this is consistent with the rest of the film.
07:30 -Oh, my God.
07:38 Elordi and co-star Kayleigh Spiney are not only given more time to explore this dynamic,
07:43 but their portrayal also feels more honest,
07:45 not just to Elvis and Priscilla, but to the nature of marriage.
07:49 Elordi takes this round, with Spiney giving him a boost.
07:52 -There were days where we would just imagine that it was
07:55 a Sofia Coppola marriage drama, like completely separate from, you know, Elvis and Priscilla.
08:02 Winner, Jacob Elordi.
08:04 Round 4, Elvis, the man behind the myth.
08:08 Elvis is one of the most iconic figures who ever lived.
08:11 While anyone can instantly recognize his looks and voice,
08:14 only a handful of people can tell you what he was like behind the scenes.
08:18 Priscilla presents a unique perspective, exploring Elvis through his wife's eyes.
08:23 -I know so much about Elvis,
08:24 and it was really important to me to show the story through Priscilla's experiences.
08:27 Even with the curtain pulled back, Elvis remains something of an enigma.
08:32 Elordi nonetheless captures what the cameras didn't,
08:34 a charismatic yet melancholy human being who became eclipsed by his own persona and legend.
08:40 -Finding a truth that hasn't been seen before,
08:42 taking, opening the door to Graceland and, and inventing from fact.
08:48 Just as Priscilla feels trapped in Graceland, Elvis feels trapped almost everywhere he goes,
08:52 with others watching his every move.
08:55 Elvis doesn't have to be Elvis when he's alone with Priscilla,
08:58 but this is also where we find him at his most insecure.
09:02 -I sort of built Elvis's world and Kayleigh built Priscilla's,
09:05 and I think we kind of met in the middle on those gaps.
09:08 Whether he's performing on stage or enduring a meltdown backstage, Butler goes big as Elvis.
09:13 While this lacks the subtlety of Elordi's approach, Butler genuinely encompasses the fear,
09:18 anger, and heartache that Elvis attempted to hide from the public.
09:22 -I can't go up there, I just want to stay here forever.
09:25 The world saw Elvis as a king, when in reality,
09:29 his kingdom was being run by the manipulative Colonel Tom Parker.
09:32 As powerful as Elvis comes across before an audience,
09:35 the Colonel is a puppet master who won't cut his strings.
09:38 -If you are so determined to get out of our contract...
09:42 -You're goddamn right I want out!
09:43 -Well, I will personally loan you the money that you owe to Jamboree Attractions.
09:47 -Yeah, you still have your claws on me.
09:49 Although the Colonel was arguably responsible for Elvis's downfall,
09:52 Butler's version recognizes that Elvis himself wasn't without personal flaws.
09:57 We see the addictions and deceit that cost him dearly,
10:00 with Butler still making Elvis sympathetic.
10:03 -I won't be 40 soon, Scylla.
10:05 -40?
10:09 -Then nobody's gonna remember me.
10:12 I've never done anything lasting.
10:17 Despite being more of a supporting player in Priscilla,
10:20 Elordi puts Elvis the man before Elvis the celebrity,
10:23 making him this round's victor.
10:25 -I mean, there's a lot of, you know, boring, boring hours and stories of homework,
10:30 really, is what it is.
10:31 There's a lot of information to kind of rival through.
10:34 Winner, Jacob Elordi.
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10:50 Round 5. Elvis the Showman
10:54 Outside of a piano ditty and a TV appearance,
10:57 Coppola's film doesn't give Elordi many opportunities to bring down the house as Elvis.
11:01 The filmmakers didn't even get the rights to Elvis's songs,
11:04 although this allowed them to get creative in telling the story.
11:07 -It's easy to get distracted, you know, and, uh, 'cause Elvis is so sparkly, you know,
11:12 and it was, uh, but for us, we were, we were very, uh, diligent about it always being,
11:18 you know, Priscilla's story.
11:20 Despite rarely singing, Elordi's Elvis is constantly performing.
11:24 With adoring fans around every corner, Elvis always has to come off as confident and charming.
11:29 It's almost second nature to him, but it's at least partially an act.
11:33 -And for the first 10, 15 seconds, you know, it's,
11:37 it's wonderful, it's nice to have the praise.
11:39 -Of course.
11:40 -And then it keeps going.
11:41 It's a shame that Elvis never got a serious movie role because he was,
11:44 at least to an extent, method acting every moment of his professional life.
11:48 Elordi presents the lonely existence of someone born to entertain.
11:52 -When you, um, sat down and you were playing the piano, was that you?
11:56 -That was me in the shot, yeah, I did learn.
11:58 -Yeah, that's you doing the piano.
11:59 -Yeah, that's me doing all of that, yeah.
12:00 -That was you playing the piano.
12:01 -Yeah, I was like, you know, I got taught like a basic blues progression,
12:04 and then the Jerry Lee Lewis thing on the keys that he does is kind of fun.
12:06 -So you have a little get down.
12:08 -There's a little, little something in there.
12:09 Butler absorbed every ounce of Elvis footage he could find to prepare for the role.
12:14 This shines through in his invigorating performance.
12:17 Recordings of Elvis were used during the third act when we reach his later years.
12:27 However, most of the musical numbers rely on Butler's vocals,
12:31 which are practically identical to the real Elvis.
12:33 While Butler had been playing guitar since age 13, this was more of a therapeutic exercise.
12:48 He had minimal public singing experience before landing the part.
12:51 He wasn't a seasoned dancer either.
12:54 Based on the way Butler moves his legs and throat muscles, though,
12:57 you'd swear he'd been training for this role his whole life.
13:00 As different as their interpretations are,
13:15 Elordi and Butler together deliver a complete portrait of Elvis Presley.
13:19 Elordi summons Elvis's understated side, but we see less of the showman.
13:24 Butler doubles down on Elvis the Entertainer rather than Elvis the Man,
13:28 although this approach is arguably more faithful to what Elvis stood for.
13:32 Above all else, Elvis was a showman, shining brighter than most other stars.
13:37 For that, Butler sings his way to the winning point.
13:40 [Music]
13:50 Winner - Austin Butler
13:52 Which depiction of Elvis do you prefer?
13:54 Performances aside, do you think Priscilla or Elvis is the stronger film overall?
13:59 Sing us the blues in the comments.
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