Rock ‘n Roll has found its king.
After five actors auditioned for the role of Elvis Presley, only one could step into those blue suede shoes.
The director of the upcoming biopic on the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer, Baz Luhrmann, screen-tested Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ansel Elgort, Austin Butler, Harry Styles, and Miles Teller in full hair and make-up for the part.
And it seems as though Butler’s coiffure won out.
The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor will be taking on the role of the iconic musician who is the best-selling solo artist of all time.
“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 statement.
“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 is set to focus on Elvis’s relationship with his manager, Col. Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks.
