'Elvis' star Austin Butler to receive performance award at Palm Springs film festival

Austin Butler, who portrayed the "King of Rock 'n' Roll" in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis," will receive the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards.

Luhrmann will present him with the award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival ceremony on Jan. 5 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The festival, which was canceled due to COVID-19 in 2021 and 2022, runs through Jan. 16.

"Elvis" is an epic, colorful tale that explores the life and music of Elvis Presley. Luhrmann’s drama takes audiences on a journey from the singer's humble and rebellious beginnings to cementing himself as a cultural icon. The film also highlights Presley's relationship with his larger-than-life manager Col. Tom Parker, whose shortcomings were also primarily responsible for the singer’s tragic demise.

Butler won the Best Actor award from the Hollywood Critics Association in July.

“Austin Butler commands the screen with a larger-than-life performance as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s spectacular film 'Elvis.' The heart and soul of the movie, Butler’s dedication to this role shows in the nuances he brought to the character, seen through multiple decades of the often-tumultuous life Elvis lived, as well as the sprawling live performances where Austin embodies the iconic artist in a way previously unseen on the big screen,” Festival Chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement. “We are honored to present the Breakthrough Performance Award to Austin Butler.”

In an interview with The Desert Sun, Priscilla Presley, who was married to the singer for six years, said Butler "morphed into him. Everything that he did was Elvis, even his temper. His warmth, his emotions, he just nailed Elvis."

Butler will next be seen in Denis Villeneuve’s highly anticipated sequel "Dune: Part Two," which will be released on Nov. 3, 2023. He is currently in production on Jeff Nichols’ "The Bikeriders," where he will star opposite Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy. In 2018, Butler made his Broadway debut opposite Denzel Washington in "The Iceman Cometh," which was nominated for eight Tony Awards.

Previous film credits include "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," "The Dead Don't Die," "My Uncle Rafael" and "Aliens in the Attic."

Past recipients of the Breakthrough Performance Award include Mahershala Ali, Mary J. Blige, Marion Cotillard, Andra Day, Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Hudson, Felicity Huffman, Brie Larson, Rami Malek, Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike and Jeremy Renner. In the years they were honored, Ali, Cotillard, Hudson, Larson, Malek and Nyong'o went on to receive Academy Awards, while Day, Blige, Erivo, Huffman, Pike and Renner received nominations.

Butler joins this year’s previously announced honorees: Cate Blanchett (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress), Colin Farrell (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor), Sarah Polley (Director of the Year Award), Michelle Yeoh (International Star Award) and The Fabelmans (The Vanguard Award).

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 'Elvis' star Austin Butler to receive Palm Springs film festival award