Austin Butler thanks ex Vanessa Hudgens for inspiring him to take on Elvis role

While speaking to the Los Angeles Times for an interview published on Tuesday, the current Oscar nominee credited the High School Musical star with encouraging him to take on the role of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's biopic. "I was with my partner at the time," he recalled, before confirming he was referring to Vanessa. "We'd been together for so long and she had this sort of clairvoyant moment and so I really, I owe her a lot for believing in me." Austin Butler / Los Angeles Times.