Actor Austin Butler has been selected to play the role of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic. Austin underwent numerous screen tests against other actors at the end of June and scored the role. He will be joining Tom Hanks who has been chosen to play Col. Tom Parker – Presley’s manager.
“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. 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,” says Baz Luhrmann about his pick of Austin.
Austin Butler previously starred in such productions as “Switched at Birth,” “The Carrie Diaries,” “Arrow” and “The Shannara Chronicles.”
The film is set to start filming in 2020.