Actors Reveal Intimate Challenges of Portraying Real-Life Icons

In a recent interview for the fall 2025 cover story of Interview magazine, published on October 22nd, 2025, actors Austin Butler and Aaron Paul opened up about the unique challenges of portraying the private lives of real-life icons Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen.

Butler, who played Presley, recalled grappling with questions like "Vocally, is this something Elvis would've said? Is this how his voice would've been?" as he navigated the line between public persona and private moments. He described the experience as a "boundary" that eventually led to a merging of "your soul and his soul."

Similarly, Paul, who portrayed Springsteen, recognized the distinction between the public and private versions of the musician. "These are public versions. They're performative in some sense. No matter how honest you are when you're talking to the press, that's not how you're going to talk to your mother," he explained.

The actors also discussed their different approaches to finding inspiration for their characters. While Butler benefited from filming in Australia and the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic to "immerse [himself] in the delusion," Paul had the advantage of Springsteen's involvement as a producer on the film, allowing him to develop a deeper understanding of the artist.

Ultimately, both actors emphasized the profound experience of letting go and allowing their own feelings to "hold hands" with those of the legendary figures they portrayed.