Elvis Actor Connects To The King For A Tragic Reason
Austin Butler is set to play the King of Rock 'n Roll and one very sad thing connects the actor and his subject more than you'd think.
The King of Rock ‘n Roll. The Memphis Flash. Mr. Sideburns. Elvis Presley went by many nicknames throughout his 42 years on Earth, largely stemming from his time as one of the singular pop culture icons and singers of the 20th century. His life story and provocative dance moves have been immortalized several times in film and television, and this year, audiences will be treated to a new biographical film called Elvis, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks.
When fans of Elvis saunter into theaters June 24, 2022, they will witness a new incarnation of The King via California native Austin Butler. Directed by Moulin Rouge helmer Baz Luhrmann, Elvis will tell the story of Presley from his time as a young boy growing up in Mississippi, to his superstardom as a singer and movie star. The film will also explore the complicated relationship Presley had with his manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), as well as the death of Presley’s mother Gladys of heart failure when Elvis was 23 years old. Coincidentally, Butler’s own mother passed away, and this fact may have contributed to Butler landing the part.
As confirmed by Screen Rant, Austin Butler revealed that his mother died of cancer in 2014, when the actor was 23 years old, the same age as the man he would embody onscreen. This made for a very tragic connection between the two men, as both were close to their mothers, which Butler explained during the audition process. Baz Luhrmann took note, especially when Butler chose to sing a song during his audition to his late mother, similar to how Presley would have done to his own mother. Apparently, this may have won him the role in the end. A further explanation in an interview with Empire, Butler stated that the grief he knew Elvis must have had “connected me to him on a deep level.”
Audiences may not know Austin Butler by name yet, but they may recognize his performances in successful television and film projects. Butler’s career started out with stints on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana with Miley Cyrus, as well as appearing on the Nickelodeon series Zoey 101 with Jamie Lynn Spears. Jumping around from various ABC Family shows, Butler landed a role on Switched at Birth, which led to a series regular role on The Carrier Diaries, opposite AnnaSophia Robb. Since then, Butler transitioned into film by playing Manson follower Tex Watson in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
After Elvis premieres this summer, Austin Butler’s star may be on a significant rise. Already receiving plenty of Oscar buzz for his turn as Elvis Presley, according to Vanity Fair, the actor is sure to be busy promoting Elvis around the world. Butler will soon be seen in Masters of the Air, a mini-series also starring Barry Keoghan and Callum Turner. Landing the coveted role of Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, Butler may see his film career take flight as he joins the stellar cast of the sequel to Dune, currently in pre-production.
