Austin Butlerhas shared fond memories of his mother, Lori, who died when he was still in his 20s.
The former Disney channel star, 32, carries ongoing heartbreak over losing his 'best friend' when he was only 23.
'If I describe her, she was a person who was just so kind to everybody that she came in contact with and I hope to be even just a little bit like her in that way' the American actor tells Adelaide Now.
'If you came into contact with her... your day was a little bit better. She was such a bright light and so I think there's a lot of things that I learned from her that I admire so much.And my dad's the same way, he's just always kind.'
He added: 'I just have to credit my parents you know, my mum was my best friend.'
Austin Butler (pictured) has shared fond memories of his mother, Lori, who died when he was still in his 20s. The former Disney channel star, 32, carries ongoing heartbreak over losing his 'best friend' when he was only 23
Austin previously revealedthat he had started filming a project shortly after his mother's passing, which was caused by a battle with cancer, and that he would 'cry every night.'
The Elvis actor, who has received a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of the King of Rock n' Roll, also credited his mother for supporting him in his career, stating to The Hollywood Reporter,'I owe her for everything.'
The Carrie Diaries actor expressed that he first began acting when he, 'stumbled into extra work,' adding that he had been, 'an incredibly shy kid.'
He explained that his mother, Lori, had seen his passion for acting early on.
'My mum saw that in me, and I owe her for everything because she quit her job and drove me to auditions and took me to acting classes. Then I started working' he said.
'I just have to credit my parents you know, my mum was my best friend' he said. Austin is pictured with his family and mother (upper right) when he was a child
However, after landing larger roles, his mother passed away in 2014 after battling cancer.
'After my mum passed away, I'd never experienced pain like that before, and I started to question,' Austin admitted during the interview.
The star stated that after spending time in hospitals and around doctors, he began to ask himself if acting was 'a noble profession.'
Austin expressed that following his mother's death, he flew to New Zealand to film a series that was cancelled after two seasons.
He explained that although the show was enjoyed by viewers and that he himself had 'fun' shooting, 'I'd go home and cry every night.'
'If I describe her, she was a person who was just so kind to everybody that she came in contact with and I hope to be even just a little bit like her in that way' the American actor said
'I was dealing with grief, but it was also this feeling that I wasn't aligned with something that felt truly fulfilling,' he added, revealing that he was around 24-years-old at the time and was ready to take a break from acting.
'I thought, "I've got a little bit of money in the bank. I'll just take time off"' he explained.
'Then I started sinking into a deeper and deeper depression. It was about six or eight months of that.'
However, he later sent in an audition tape for the Broadway show, The Iceman Cometh, which also starred Denzel Washington.
The Elvis actor also credited his mother for supporting him in his career, stating, 'I owe her for everything.' Pictured in 2012, two years before mother's passing
Austin explained after being cast, that was, 'the moment that changed my career.'
He has previously credited and paid tribute to his mother, including his appearance as host of Saturday Night Live in 2022.
During his opening monologue, the former Nickelodeon actor stated to the audience that when he was younger, he had a 'crippling shyness,' but when he was with his mum, 'I'd just do anything to make her laugh,' including a Gollum impression.
'But, really, being silly with her is what broke me out of my shell and the core of what started me in acting.'
Being on SNL had made the star think about his mother, and that he could imagine, '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.'
To conclude his monologue, Austin then dedicated each 'silly voice' or a 'funny face' he did on the show to his later mother, emotionally adding, 'That's for you, mum.'
