The 'Elvis' star says his 'heart is completely shattered' after Lisa Marie's sudden passing, while Baz Luhrmann, who directed the actor in the Elvis Presley biopic, pays tribute to the late singer on Instagram.
- Jan 14, 2023
AceShowbiz - Austin Butler has broken his silence on Lisa Marie Presley's death, one day after the devastating news shocked many people. The Golden Globe winner says his "heart is completely shattered" after the "tragic and unexpected loss" of the daughter of Elvis Presley.
"My heart is completely shattered for Riley, Finley, Harper and Priscilla at the tragic and unexpected loss of Lisa Marie," Austin said in a statement on Friday, January 13. "I am eternally grateful for the time I was lucky enough to be near her bright light and will forever cherish the quiet moments we shared. Her warmth, her love and her authenticity will always be remembered."
Baz Luhrmann, who directed Austin in "Elvis", added a tribute to Lisa Marie on his Instagram page. "Over the last year, the entire Elvis movie family and I have felt the privilege of Lisa Marie's kind embrace," he wrote along with a throwback picture of Austin and the late singer sharing laugh during a conversation.
"Her sudden, shocking loss has devastated people all around the world," the director continued. "I know her fans everywhere join me in sharing prayers of love and support with her mother, Priscilla, and her wonderful daughters Riley, Finley and Harper."
Austin and Lisa Marie, who was the only child of the late King of Rock and Roll and Priscilla Presley, developed a close friendship following the release of "Elvis" in 2022. "She hugged me with tears in her eyes, and she just said, 'Thank you,' " he recently told The Hollywood Reporter. "She took me upstairs and we went into Elvis' bedroom and just sat on his bed and just talked for hours."
Austin, Lisa Marie and Baz were just together on Tuesday night at the Golden Globe Awards, two days before her death. The 31-year-old actor took home an award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama for his portrayal of Elvis.
In a now-viral video, Lisa Marie crashed Austin's interview on the red carpet of the event. "What? Did I photobomb you?" she asked after joining the actor and his sister Ashley Butler in the middle of an interview with ET.
The 54-year-old singer went on gushing over Austin's performance, calling it "truly mind-blowing." She added about the film, "I really didn't know what to do with myself after I saw it. I had to take, like, five days to process it because it was so incredible and so spot on and just so authentic that, yeah, I can't even describe what it meant."
Lisa Marie's death was confirmed by her mother on Thursday evening, hours after she suffered a full cardiac arrest at her home in Calabasas. "It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us," Priscilla said in a statement. "She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known." The 77-year-old actress and businesswoman added, "We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers. At this time there will be no further comment."
