Baz Luhrmann’s highly anticipated “Elvis” movie is a dream come true for the entire cast. Two weeks before the streaming film’s world premiere earlier this summer, “Elvis” features Austin Butler, Olivia DeJonge, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Alton Mason and Yola sitting in disbelief at Elvis Presley’s former home, Graceland in Memphis, TN, as they shared with POPSUGAR how grateful they are to be a part of such a big moment.
“. . . to bring it home, it’s so, so special.”
“It’s so exciting,” said DeJonge – who plays Priscilla Presley. “Being in Memphis too. We’ve been filming for what feels like forever (only a few weeks), but bringing it home is so, so special.” Mason and Yola – who play rock ‘n’ roll icons Little Richard and Sister Rosetta Tharpe respectively – echoed DeJonge’s sentiments, saying they “felt all the feelings” about the new film.
Most of the ‘Elvis’ cast members portray characters who were in the limelight long before their time, with iconic legacies to match, and they all admitted to having nerves about portraying them on screen. . “I think I’d be crazy [to say] it wasn’t an intimidating experience for me,” DeJonge shared. [Hanks], Austin, Baz. They’re all incredibly knowledgeable, very open and very present with you, which I think are really important qualities when you walk into a movie like this.”
Unlike the average musical biopic, Luhrmann’s “Elvis” is hard to categorize as it features a fresh story about the late rock ‘n’ roll singer’s epic rise and fall, all told from the perspective of his manager, Colonel Tom Parker (played by Hanks).
Set in the 50s, 60s and 70s, “Elvis” takes a close look at Elvis’ active years as one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll stars in American history. From his beginnings in Memphis, to the city’s black musicians who inspired him, to his relationship with his ex-wife Priscilla, Luhrmann’s take on Elvis is unique.
The cast called the film an “electric”, “rebalancing” spectacle that is a whirlwind of daring theatrics. “It’s like the Looney Tunes thing that Warner Bros. has, when it’s whirling around and it feels like you’re jumping through the hole in ‘Space Jam,'” Harrison remarked. “That’s how this movie is. You jump in and then you go, ‘Whoa, Elvis.'”
Read what else the “Elvis” cast has to say about starring in the new movie, available to stream on HBO Max starting September 2.
