Austin Butler has finally revealed why he referred to his ex Vanessa Hudgens as a “girlfriend” in a previous interview when discussing how he landed the role of Elvis.
After sparking outrage on social media for seemingly downplaying their nine-year relationship, which ended in 2020, the “Dune: Part Two” star, 32, explained his decision to marry the High School Musical actress, 35 , not to be named, actually came from a place of love.
“I felt like I respected her privacy in a way and didn't want to bring up a bunch of things that would make her talk,” he explained to Esquire.
He continued, “I have so much love and care for her. “It was in no way about deleting anything.”
The Anaheim native went on to say the same thing as someone who values his “own privacy” so much that he “didn't want to give up the privacy of others.”
Austin Butler has finally revealed why he referred to his ex Vanessa Hudgens as a “girlfriend” in a previous interview when discussing how he landed the role of Elvis
Butler and Hudgens were together for nine years before their surprise split in 2020 (pictured above at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party).
Ultimately, he sees the flub as a “lesson” he “learned.”
Butler also made a rare comment about his current romance with supermodel Kaia Gerber, whom he began dating in late 2021.
“I’m happy,” he said of their relationship.
As for the public's fascination with his love life, the actor admitted that he understands it because he always wants to “know about other people too.”
“I want to know about the life of Daniel Day-Lewis,” he mused.
The first connection between him and Cindy Crawford's daughter came after her separation from Jacob Elordi.
They were spotted taking a yoga class together in December 2021, but they waited until the 2022 Met Gala, which takes place on the first Monday in May each year, to make their red carpet debut.
After the Dune: Part Two star, 32, sparked online outrage for seemingly downplaying their previous relationship, he explained that his decision not to mention the High School Musical actress, 35, by name actually came from love
“I felt like I respected her privacy in a way and didn't want to bring up a bunch of things that would make her talk,” he explained to Esquire
He continued: “I have so much love and care for her.” It was in no way about deleting anything.
Last year, the Golden Globe winner was criticized for referring to his former partner as just a pal when discussing his journey to portraying the late King of Rock and Roll in Baz Luhrmann's musical biopic Elvis.
During a roundtable discussion with The Hollywood Reporter, he recalled that Hudgens had a “clairvoyant moment” about his future a month before he learned Luhrmann would be casting Elvis.
“I was looking at Christmas lights and there was an Elvis Christmas song on the radio and I was with a friend,” he said. “I was singing along and my friend looked over at me and said, 'You have to play Elvis.' I said, “Oh, that’s so far-fetched.”
“A few weeks later I was playing the piano,” he continued. “I never really sang for any of my friends or anything. The same friend was there and I was playing the piano.
“She said, 'I'm serious.' “You have to figure out how to get the rights to a script.” Then my agent called and said, “So Baz Luhrmann is doing an Elvis movie.”
Shortly after the interview was published, many on Twitter called him “disgusting” and “disrespectful” for leaving them out.
The Anaheim native went on to say the same thing as someone who values his “own privacy” so much that he “didn't want to give up the privacy of others.”
Ultimately, he sees the flub as a “lesson” he “learned.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Butler was coy about his relationship with supermodel Kaia Gerber
In 2019, Hudgens told the exact same story during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan.
Hudgens, who was still romantically involved with Butler at the time, recalled: “Last December we were driving around listening to Christmas music, and then an Elvis Presley Christmas song came on.”
“He had just dyed his hair dark.” He's naturally blonde, and I looked at him and he was singing along and I thought, “Babe, you have to play Elvis.”
“Then in January he sat at the piano,” she continued.
“I'm happy,” he said of his love life (pictured with Gerber in April 2023)
“And he's playing and singing and I'm thinking, 'I don't know how, but you've got to figure out how to play Elvis.' “I don’t know how we get rights or what we do, but you have to play him.”
Butler took on the role in July 2019 alongside Tom Hanks, who played Elvis' infamous manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
Filming began in Australia on January 28, 2020, but came to a screeching halt just two months later after Hollywood shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Filming resumed in Queensland in September 2020 and completed in March 2021. Elvis was released in June 2022.