
Check out an Official Elvis Behind the Scenes Featurette starring Austin Butler!
Becoming the iconic King of Rock n Roll is no small feat. So to get into character, Butler had to learn the tone, mannerisms, and quirks of Elvis to fully immerse himself into the mindset of the music legend. The process allegedly took 3 years for Butler to master. Talk about dedication!
Elvis stars Austin Butler as the titular King of Rock, Tom Hanks as Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker, and Olivia DeJonge as Presley’s wife Priscilla. Joining them are Helen Thomson as Elvis’s mother, Gladys, Richard Roxburgh as Elvis’s father, Vernon, Luke Bracey as Jerry Schilling, Natasha Bassett as Dixie Locke, David Wenham as Hank Snow, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as B.B. King, Xavier Samuel as Scotty Moore, and Oscar nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee as Jimmie Rodgers Snow.
“The film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley, seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker,” reads the synopsis. “The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley.”
Additional cast includes Dacre Montgomery as TV director Steve Binder, Leon Ford as Tom Diskin, Kate Mulvany as Marion Keisker, Gareth Davies as Bones Howe, Charles Grounds as Billy Smith, Josh McConville as Sam Phillips, and Adam Dunn as Bill Black. To play iconic musical artists in the film, singer/songwriter Yola has been cast as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, model Alton Mason as Little Richard, Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur Crudup, and artist Shonka Dukureh as Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton.
The Elvis biopic is directed and produced by Baz Luhrmann (Romeo + Juliet, The Great Gatsby) from a screenplay he co-wrote with Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, and Jeremy Doner. Producers are Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick, and Schuyler Weiss, with Courtenay Valenti and Kevin McCormick executive producing.
Elvis arrives in theaters this Friday!