Austin Butler has dished on the honor of playing music icon Elvis Presley in an upcoming biopic directed by Baz Luhrmann. Butler, 27, appears in a key role in Quentin Tarantino’s new film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and has been doing some press rounds because of it. His recently scored role as “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” has garnered a lot of questions, and he has shared some of his feelings about the role.
“I am just profoundly honored that Baz has invited me on this journey with him,” Butler told Entertainment Tonight at the OUATIH premiere. “It’s an extraordinary privilege. And I just feel so blessed to be working with such singular directors like him and Quentin Tarantino.”
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He also revealed what he’s already doing to prepare, including practicing Presley’s songs.
“Many, many hours of hard work,” Butler told Variety. “At this point, I love them all (Presley’s songs) so much. I’m at those beginning stages of the exploration. Practicing everything.”
Luhrmann has been adamant about how right he thinks Butler is for the part, even when he was competing with high-profile candidates like Miles Teller and Harry Styles for the role.
“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 said in a release. “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.”
There is no release date is set for the movie yet, but filming will begin in early 2020. Tom Hanks is set to co-star in the movie as Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s longtime manager.
Photo Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
