She'll be always on his mind.
Days after attending Lisa Marie Presley's memorial, Austin Butler reflected on Elvis Presley's late daughter while celebrating his first Oscar nomination for his work as the King of Rock 'n Roll.
"It's sort of a bittersweet moment right now because of how much I wish she was here right now to get to celebrate with me," Butler told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on Today on Jan. 24. "It's the same thing I feel with Elvis, I wish that they could see these moments. It feels sort of strange to celebrate at a time of such deep grief. But I sort of think of it as a way to honor her and just make a difference for her."
Elvis' daughter passed away at the age of 54 on Jan. 12, just two days after she watched Butler win the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama. Now that he's officially up for the Academy Award for Best Actor as well, the Elvis star admitted getting recognized for his work on the Baz Luhrmann biopic feels surreal.
"I'm still processing it right now, but it was such a daunting undertaking, making this movie and it was also a very long process. I just remember those sleepless nights and all the fear, all the possibilities for how it could have gone wrong," Butler shared. "Not just for me, but for all these other amazing artists that worked on the film being recognized just feels really surreal and amazing."
Prior to his nomination, the 31-year-old attended his late friend's memorial service at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., on Jan. 22. Butler also previously addressed Lisa Marie's sudden death in a statement while paying his respects to her family members—including mother Priscilla Presley, daughter Riley Keough, 33, and 14-year-old twins Finley and Harper.
"My heart is completely shattered for Riley, Finley, Harper and Priscilla at the tragic and unexpected loss of Lisa Marie," Butler said in a statement to E! News on Jan. 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."
Butler's awards season tour continues when Jimmy Kimmel hosts the 95th Academy Awards March 12 on ABC.