Austin Butler, Tom Hanks & Cast Attended ‘Elvis’ Movie Premiere In London

Austin Butler and Tom Hanks suit up sharp for the premiere of their new film, Elvis, held at BFI Southbank on Tuesday night (May 31) in London, England.

The two stars met up with Olivia DeJonge, Yola and Luke Bracey on the red carpet, as well as director of the film, Baz Luhrmann.

Austin and Tom portray the late King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and his longtime manager, Colonel Tom Parker, while Olivia takes on the role of a young Priscilla Presley.

In addition, Luke will play Elvis‘ other manager, Jerry Schilling and Yola is Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who inspired a lot of Elvis‘ music stylings.

Tom Hanks looks in good spirits as he larks about with director Baz Luhrmann at star-studded screening of Elvis in London

Tom Hanks put on an animated display as he larked around with director Baz Luhrmann at a screening of Elvis at the BFI Southbank in London on Tuesday.

The actor, 65, who stars as Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker in the film, struck a series of playful poses with Baz on the red carpet.

The pair shook hands and joked around with each other before they joined the film’s leading man Austin Butler to pose for the cameras.

Tom looked suave for the screening in a dark grey blazer and matching trousers which he wore with a black shirt.
The filmmaker sported a black metallic turtle neck top which he wore with a matching cloak and black trousers, along with an Elvis belt.
s he takes on the titular role, Austin recently spoke of his all-consuming approach in taking on such an iconic figure.
‘I had about a year and a half before we started shooting. It feels like climbing Mount Everest, it’s just so mammoth of a task so, for me, I just had to take it one step at a time.

‘I started with absorbing everything. I watched every bit of footage that’s out there, I watched every interview of his during his entire career and read every book that was written on his life.

‘Then I started to break it up into pieces, so it was figuring out how his voice changed over the years and obsessing about that.

‘It became this two-year obsession where I put the rest of my life on pause. I went through every bit of his being like that. From his spiritual evolution and the way that he moved and how that changed over the years.’
Tom spoke about his wife Rita Wilson’s connection to Priscilla Presley, saying: ‘My wife knows Priscilla from some women’s cancer funds they’ve done together.

Priscilla and Jerry Schilling who is in the movie – one of the original Memphis Mafia – came by the house.

‘I was anticipating hearing horror stories about the Colonel and I heard just the opposite. Jerry and Priscilla loved the Colonel, he said he was a wonderful man.

‘He brightened up every room that he came into. Was he fishy with some of the money? “Yeah, we had to sue him and he gave it up and we got it.”

‘It turned from a guy who was this Machiavellian puppet master who was just a fella who said, “Well, of course!’ I had a treasure trove of anecdotal information.”‘

The film chronicles the life and career of Elvis from his early days as a child growing up in Mississippi to his ascent as a rock and roll icon and movie star, along with his complex relationship with his manager.

Elvis will be released in theaters next month on June 24.