Elvis biopic finds its new King of Rock and Roll

Tuesday, 16 July 2019 09:22

Austin Butler is set to play Elvis Presley (AFPForum)

Austin Butler is set to star as Elvis Presley in the upcoming film about the icon's rise to stardom.

Film director Baz Luhrmann took to Twitter to make the announcement, showcasing the resemblance between the 27-year-old and the King of Rock and Roll with pictures of the two side by side.

Luhrmann, who also directed The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge! said he took great pains to find the right actor to fill the music legend's shoes.

Elvis A. Presley / Austin Butler pic.twitter.com/Rtl1P4nv9o
— Baz Luhrmann (@bazluhrmann) July 15, 2019

Butler landed his first TV role in 2005 but didn't gain widespread recognition until 2013 when he played Sebastian Kydd, love interest to the teen-aged Carrie Bradshaw in The Carrie Diaries, a prequel to Sex and the City.

The film will begin production in 2020 with Tom Hanks also set to star as Col. Tom Parker, Presley's controversial manager.

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