The 'Elvis' leading man remembered his late mom after revealing that he was a 'really shy' while making his hosting debut in the Saturday, December 17 episode of the NBC sketch show.
- Dec 19, 2022
AceShowbiz - Austin Butler couldn't help but get emotional when making his hosting debut on "Saturday Night Live". The "Elvis" leading man shed tears when honoring his late mom Lori Anne Howell in his monologue.
In the Saturday, December 17 episode of the NBC sketch show, the 31-year-old heartthrob revealed that he was such a "really shy" kid back then. He added, "But luckily, my mom decided to home-school me and my sister, so I was also weird."
"Since we home-schooled, sometimes my mom would say, 'We're taking the day off, and we're going to Disneyland!' And we'd be so excited," he continued. "But then by like the ninth time that she did that, I was like, 'I don't think mom knows how to teach.' "
"Some of my favorite memories from growing up are watching SNL with her. And we'd watch every week," the former Disney Channel and Nickelodeon star further recalled. "And even though I had this crippling shyness, when I was with her, I'd just do anything to make my mom laugh."
Austin went on to detail, "I do ridiculous faces and voices, I did this ridiculous Gollum impression... Being silly with her is what broke me out of my shell and the core of what started me in acting." He later explained how his mom, who lost her battle with cancer in 2014, had been motivating him throughout his week preparing for "SNL".
"My mom is no longer with us. But I've been thinking about her a lot this week... Just imagining how proud she'd be of her son who used to not be able to order food for myself at a restaurant is now standing on this stage," the "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" star said while choking up. He then concluded, "And tonight, just know that anytime you see me doing a silly voice or making a funny face, that's for you, mom."
