JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
EXCLUSIVE: Tom Hanks reveals the moment he knew Austin Butler was 'the guy' to play Elvis
Tom Hanks opened up about being impressed by Austin Butler's talent after starring with the young actor in Elvis.
When it comes to biopics, casting is crucial and while there are several examples where it may not have worked out, the upcoming biopic based on the life of 'King of Rock and Roll', Elvis Presley seems to be all that everyone is talking about. The film stars Austin Butler as the famed American singer and the promos have shown his transformation.
The Baz Luhrmann directorial explores the life and music of the King of Rock and Roll and also stars Tom Hanks as his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker. The biopic will capture their relationship and while Butler has previously gushed about getting a chance to work with Hanks, when asked how he felt about Austin's casting, Tom had a rather amazing moment to recall.
Revealing how he was convinced that Austin was the perfect choice for the role, Hanks said, "It was one of those things Baz does where he recreated a scene for the movie and it was Austin. Except it was Elvis. That’s all you could say. That’s the guy—I told Baz, ‘I’m not saying that’s the guy who should be cast as Elvis, I’m saying that’s Elvis, there’s just no question about it. Austin found some deep, molecular connection to Elvis and Baz saw that."
Adding on about the scenes where he had to perform on stage, he said, "When he [Austin] came on stage for the Vegas performances, for example, it was electrifying. I think he had to do it 30 times, and you just wanted to see him do it again and again. Part of that is his drive as an actor, but I think there’s also a huge amount of faith in the process, which is not unlike Elvis himself."
The actor also admitted that while they did not get to share as many scenes with Butler as much he would have enjoyed, the actor added, "And I have to say, you could not take your eyes off of Austin Butler. He did not phone in a thing, did not fake a thing, he undeniably went there; the dedication that he gave to it was impressive right off the bat."
Apart from Tom Hanks and Austin Butler, the film's supporting cast includes, Helen Thomson as Elvis’s mother, Gladys, Richard Roxburgh who portrays Elvis’s father, Vernon, and DeJonge who plays Priscilla among many others. Elvis is all set to release in theatres across India on June 24.
ALSO READ: Elvis star Austin Butler reveals the best acting advice he received from co-star Tom Hanks
Latest Articles
