Elvis Biopic Taps Austin Butler to Play the King
Harry Styles, Miles Teller, and Ansel Elgort were just a few of the bold names competing to play Elv..
Harry Styles, Miles Teller, and Ansel Elgort were just a few of the bold names competing to play Elvis in Baz Luhrmanns upcoming biopic about the rock icon. But they all lost out to Austin Butler, the Shannara Chronicles and Arrow alum who was announced by Luhrmann as the films lead on Monday.
“I knew I couldnt make this film if the casting wasnt 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 statement, per the Hollywood Reporter. “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 worlds most iconic musical figures.”
Butler, 27, will star in a biopic that spans 20 years in Elviss life, tracing his rise to stardom. It will focus on the singers relationship with his shrewd manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who will be played by Tom Hanks.
As previously reported, Butler competed against a number of bankable stars for the part. (Commence wartime flashbacks of the Han Solo spin-off auditions race.) Styles, Elgort, Teller, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson all tested for the role in late June, per THR. Compared to that group, Butler has carried the fewest films—but hes been acting for well over a decade. He got his start as a teen actor, shuttling back and forth between Disney and Nickelodeon on shows like Hannah Montana and Zoey 101. Hes perhaps best known for his stint on Arrow and his lead role in the short-lived fantasy series The Shannara Chronicles, and has also had roles in Jim Jarmuschs The Dead Dont Die and Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood—a pair of 2019 films Elvis fans can watch for an early taste of whats in store.
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