Elvis Interview: Star Austin Butler & Director Baz Luhrmann

Playing any real figure in a movie would be a daunting challenge, but the idea of taking on the persona of a genuine icon makes "daunting" seem like a wild understatement. So for ELVIS star Austin Butler, who gets his first true marquee role in the movie as Elvis Presley, you could say there was some pressure. In fact, when we talked to the actor, he said the role came with "more pressure than I've ever felt in my life."

"Getting him right isn't about an impersonation," though, says director Baz Luhrmann, who notes that Elvis might be "the most impersonated man in history." The idea behind the movie was to "introduce the world to the man Priscilla was married to… and I couldn't do it without finding some actor who could truly live in him, and that was Austin Butler."

ELVIS dives into the singer's history with his controversial and somewhat shady manager, Colonel Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks. The movie also goes into the significant moments in the singer's life that made him the performer he was, and looks at the inspirations that fueled his music. We talked to Luhrmann and Butler about those aspects, too, which you can see below.

Watch our full video interview with Austin Butler and Baz Luhrmann below:

 

 

 

ELVIS opens on June 24.

 

All images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.