“The month earlier than I heard that Baz was making the film, I used to be going to have a look at Christmas lights with a buddy,” he recalled throughout The Hollywood Reporter‘s Actors Roundtable Jan. 10. “And there was an Elvis Christmas track on the radio and I used to be singing alongside and my buddy regarded over at me and goes, ‘You have to play Elvis.’ I stated, ‘Oh, that is such an extended shot.’”
He added that weeks later she nudged him additional after seeing him play the piano.
“I by no means actually sang for any of my associates or something,” he continued. “That very same buddy was there and I used to be enjoying the piano. She stated, ‘I am critical. You gotta work out how one can get the rights to a script.’ Then my agent referred to as and stated, ‘So Baz Luhrmann is making an Elvis movie.’”
After all, Austin’s story is paying homage to one Vanessa informed in 2019 following his casting because the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
“Final December, we had been driving alongside and we had been listening to Christmas music, after which an Elvis Presley Christmas track got here on,” the 34-year-old recalled on Live with Kelly and Ryan on the time. “He had simply dyed his hair darkish. He is a pure blonde, blonde and I used to be taking a look at him and he was singing alongside and I used to be like, ‘Babe, it’s good to play Elvis.’”
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