Elvis Presley lives on: actor Austin Butler cast as the legendary singer in biopic
After a competitive casting contest, the 'King' is set to return
PHOTO: FILE
The legendary Elvis Presley lives on, metaphorically speaking. Director Baz Luhrmann, who has films such as The Great Gatsby, Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge! under his belt, has found his new 'King', reported Deadline.
After a competitive casting contest, 27-year-old actor Austin Butler has been chosen to play Presley, Warner Bros recently announced. Ansel Elgort, Harry Styles and Miles Teller all reportedly tested for the role ultimately won by Butler, a Nickelodeon and Disney Channel alumni who last year made his Broadway debut in the revival of The Iceman Cometh starring Denzel Washington.
Butler posted the news to Instagram, quoting from Presley’s hit Love Me Tender: “You have made my life complete and I love you so.”
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The film explores Presley’s life through the lens of his complicated, 20-year relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who will be played by Castaway star Tom Hanks.
The screenplay was written by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, with Luhrmann also co-producing alongside the Oscar-winner Catherine Martin, his partner and frequent collaborator. “I knew I couldn’t make this film if the casting wasn’t absolutely right and we searched thoroughly for an actor with the ability to evoke the singular natural movement and vocal qualities of this peerless star, but also the inner vulnerability of the artist," he said during an interview.
The director continued to the process of finding the perfect Elvis. “Through a journey of extensive screen testing and music and performance workshops, I knew unequivocally that I had found someone who could embody the spirit of one of the world’s most iconic musical figures.”
Butler, who has a role in Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die, has also been cast in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, set in 1960s Los Angeles and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie.
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After a competitive casting contest, 27-year-old actor Austin Butler has been chosen to play Presley, Warner Bros recently announced. Ansel Elgort, Harry Styles and Miles Teller all reportedly tested for the role ultimately won by Butler, a Nickelodeon and Disney Channel alumni who last year made his Broadway debut in the revival of The Iceman Cometh starring Denzel Washington.
Butler posted the news to Instagram, quoting from Presley’s hit Love Me Tender: “You have made my life complete and I love you so.”
Box office battle: 'Avengers: Endgame' now only needs $7 million to overtake 'Avatar'
The film explores Presley’s life through the lens of his complicated, 20-year relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who will be played by Castaway star Tom Hanks.
The screenplay was written by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, with Luhrmann also co-producing alongside the Oscar-winner Catherine Martin, his partner and frequent collaborator. “I knew I couldn’t make this film if the casting wasn’t absolutely right and we searched thoroughly for an actor with the ability to evoke the singular natural movement and vocal qualities of this peerless star, but also the inner vulnerability of the artist," he said during an interview.
The director continued to the process of finding the perfect Elvis. “Through a journey of extensive screen testing and music and performance workshops, I knew unequivocally that I had found someone who could embody the spirit of one of the world’s most iconic musical figures.”
Butler, who has a role in Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die, has also been cast in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, set in 1960s Los Angeles and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie.
Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.