American actor Austin Butler has been cast as singer Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's next film, which is a biopic on the singer.
Austin Butler is set to play Elvis Presley in his biopic to be directed by Baz Luhrmann with the Oscar-winner Tom Hanks, who will be portraying Presley’s manager, Col. Tom Parker.
Austin Butler beat out many big name stars who had previously been linked to the role, including Harry Styles, Baby Driver actor Ansel Elgort, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Miles Teller, known for his roles in Divergent and Fantastic Four. They all had undergone screen tests after which Baz Luhrmann, the director of the film, found the leading man in Butler to star in his upcoming untitled biopic about Elvis Presley.
"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," Luhrmann known for his film The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge!, said about the casting. “Throughout the casting process, it was an honor for me to encounter such a vast array of talent. I had heard about Austin Butler from his stand-out role opposite Denzel Washington in The Iceman Cometh on Broadway, and 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.”
The film will show the story of Elvis Presley’s rise to fame from broke, aspiring singer to worldwide superstar with the relationship between the veteran and controversial manager, Col. Tom Parker. The movie is co-written by Luhrmann with Craig Pearce. The film will start shooting in Australia early next year to accommodate Hank’s busy schedule.
Former child star Butler will be next seen in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, which is set to release on July 26.
YOU CAN ALSO READ THIS ARTICLE
0 Comments