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LOS ANGELES
Writer-director Baz Luhrmann has found his Elvis Presley in actor Austin Butler! The filmmaker has cast Butler as the King of Rock 'n' Roll in his upcoming biopic and the star's long-time girlfriend and actor Vanessa Hudgens is over the moon. Luhrmann confirmed the news on Instagram on Monday, posting a photo of Presley's mugshot, along with a pic of Butler.
According to Deadline, the film is set to go on floors in Australia in early 2020. The movie will document Presley's rise to fame, as well as his complicated relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who will be portrayed by Tom Hanks in the movie. After the announcement was made, Hudgens, took to social media to react to the news.
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"I AM OVER THE MOON. I CANT WAIT. SO PROUD OF MY HONEY," she wrote on Instagram.
In response to Hudgens' post, many friends and fans shared their excitement for Butler.
"STOP IT HAPPENED!!!!!!!! IM FREAKING OUT. IM SO HAPPY! HE WORKED SO FRIKKIN HARD FOR THIS," Sarah Hyland commented. While Ashley Benson wrote in the comments section, "Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
To land the role, Butler beat out hundreds of young actors vying for the part, including many famous stars.
Several young actors were in the running for the role as the multitalented but troubled music icon, who died at the age of 42 in August 1977. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Luhrmann had narrowed down his hopefuls to Butler, Harry Styles, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. TMZ reported that G-Eazy also made a strong push for the part, although he was not a top contender. Warner Bros. Pictures announced on Monday that Butler landed the role.
"I knew I couldn't make this film if the casting wasn't absolutely right, and we searched thoroughly for an actor with the ability to evoke the singular natural movement and vocal qualities of this peerless star, but also the inner vulnerability of the artist," Luhrmann said in a statement, reported Us Weekly.
"Throughout the casting process, it was an honour for me to encounter such a vast array of talent," the director continued.
"I had heard about Austin Butler from his standout role opposite Denzel Washington in The Iceman Cometh on Broadway, and through a journey of extensive screen testing and music and performance workshops, I knew unequivocally that I had found someone who could embody the spirit of one of the world's most iconic musical figures," he concluded.
Butler, who has been dating Hudgens since 2011, previously starred in Freeform's 'Switched at Birth' and The CW's 'The Carrie Diaries'. He will be next seen as Tex Watson opposite Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio in Quentin Tarantino's upcoming movie, 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'.
