Austin Butler has come under fire for referring to his ex-girlfriend of almost 10 years, Vanessa Hudgens, as a friend in a recent interview.
The Elvis star, 31, told a story about his old flame during The Hollywood Reporter’s Actors Roundtable, explaining how his ‘friend’ encouraged him to pursue the role of Elvis in the Baz Luhrmann biopic.
Speaking with fellow actors Colin Farrell, Brendan Fraser, Jeremy Pope, Ke Huy Quan and Adam Sandler, the Golden Globe winner recalled how his role came to be.
Austin Butler has come under fire for referring to his ex-girlfriend of almost 10 years, Vanessa Hudgens, as a friend in a recent interview. Photographed together in 2019
‘The month before I heard that Baz [Luhrmann] I was making the movie, I was looking at the Christmas lights and there was an Elvis Christmas song on the radio and I was with a friend of mine,” he said.
I was singing and my friend looked at me and said, “You have to play Elvis.” I said, “Oh, that’s such a long shot.”
“A couple of weeks later, I was playing the piano,” he continued.
The Elvis star, 31, told a story about his old flame during The Hollywood Reporter’s Actors Roundtable, explaining how his ‘friend’ encouraged him to pursue the role of Elvis in the Baz Luhrmann biopic.
‘I never really sang for any of my friends or anything. That same friend was there and I was playing the piano.
“She said, ‘I’m serious. You have to figure out how you can get the rights to a script.’ She then called my agent and said, “So Baz Luhrmann is doing an Elvis movie.”
While Butler didn’t specifically name Hudgens, 34, while recounting the story, the actress shared a very similar story in 2019 when the couple were still together.
“Last December, we were driving and listening to Christmas music, and then an Elvis Presley Christmas song came on,” he recalled during an episode of Live with Kelly and Ryan.
‘The month before I heard that Baz [Luhrmann] I was making the movie, I was looking at the Christmas lights and there was an Elvis Christmas song on the radio and I was with a friend of mine,’ he recalled.
While Butler didn’t specifically name Hudgens, 34, in her story, the actress shared a very similar story in 2019 when the couple was still together.
She had just dyed her hair dark. He’s a natural blonde, and I was looking at him and he was singing and I was like, “Baby, you’ve got to play Elvis.”
“Then in January, I was sitting at the piano,” he continued.
And he’s playing and singing and I’m like, “I don’t know how, but you have to figure out how you can play Elvis. I don’t know how we get the rights or what we do, but you need to play with him.”
Fans of High School Musical star Hudgens weren’t impressed with Butler after she didn’t mention her ex in her story.
Fans of the High School Musical star weren’t impressed with Butler after she didn’t mention her ex in her story.
Many took to Twitter labeling him ‘disgusting’ and ‘disrespectful’.
“He calls Vanessa Hudgens a ‘friend’ PLEASE,” one tweeted while sharing a clip of the interview, while another wrote in replies: “She’s so disgusting, sorry.”
“Imagine spending an entire decade with someone just to refer to them in interviews as an Iaaw ‘friend’, it would shed real tears,” added one fan.
“Vanessa needs to put a curse on it I don’t know,” another tweeted.
‘This is just…absolutely diabolical…hope it brings out a girl that’s gone,’ added one.
Many took to Twitter labeling him “disgusting” and “disrespectful.”
It was revealed in early 2020 that Butler and his long-term partner Hudgens had decided to go their separate ways.
The couple reportedly split in late 2019, but it became official in January of the following year, a source said. usweekly at the time.
“Vanessa and Austin have officially split, and Vanessa has been telling those close to her about her breakup,” the source claimed.
It was revealed in early 2020 that Butler and his long-term partner Hudgens had decided to go their separate ways. Pictured together at the UNICEF Summer Gala in August 2019
The couple reportedly broke up in late 2019, but it became official in January of the following year. Pictured together at the Dog Days premiere in 2018.
They began dating in September 2011 and their romance went public in July 2012 at the premiere of their film Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.
There were rumors in December 2017 that the couple had gotten engaged when Hudgens showed off a diamond ring on her ring finger, but he later denied the claims.
Butler has since moved on and is dating Kaia Gerber, after they started dating in December 2021 when they were spotted attending a yoga class together.
Hudgens, for her part, is now dating MLB star Cole Tucker. The couple first sparked romance rumors when they were spotted holding hands in November 2020.
Before dating Butler, Hudgens was in a relationship with her former High School Musical co-star Zac Efron from 2005 to 2010.
Butler and Hudgens began dating in September 2011 and their romance went public in July 2012 at the premiere of their film Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (pictured)