‘Elvis’ Cast and Character Guide: Who Plays Who? (Photos)

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“Elvis” will soon have audiences all shook up with its portrayal of The King of Rock.

 

Directed by Baz Luhrmann, the biopic has a runtime of two hours and 39 minutes, though Luhrmann did recently reveal that a four hour version exists. Certain cast members even lend their vocals to the film’s soundtrack, which also includes Elvis songs performed by Stevie Nicks, Kacey Musgraves, Eminem and Ceelo Green and more.

 

Here’s a complete cast and character guide to the new “Elvis” movie.

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Elvis Presley (Austin Butler)

 

Austin Butler embodies rock star Elvis Presley, who was heavily influenced by Black gospel music and several Black artists. The King of Rock and Roll grew up very poor in Tupelo, Miss., and his family moved to Memphis, Tenn. when he was a teenager. After he submitted an audition tape to Sun Records, Sam Phillips called Presley and teamed him up with the Blue Moon Boys band for his records. Presley gained momentum in music in the 1950s and rose to icon level starpower until his death in 1977.

 

Butler made regular appearances on TV shows like Disney channel’s “Hannah Montana” and Nickelodeon’s “Zoey 101,” as well as the short-lived fantasy series “The Shannara Chronicles.” More recently, he appeared as Tex Watson, a Charles Manson cult member, in Quentin Tarantino’s ”Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Actor Chaydon Jay portrays the younger Elvis.

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Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks)

   

Colonel Tom Parker came to the United States as a young man. The Dutch immigrant started out as a hustler and carnival barker before making his way into country music. Parker took over Elvis’ management and became a catalyst behind The King’s career. Parker heavily restricted Elvis through their contract, which gave him 50% of Elvis’ earnings, and in other ways like refusing to let him tour internationally because Parker didn’t have a passport. Parker recognized the significance of building branding for an artist, and he had previously worked with Hank Snow and Eddy Arnold.

 

A two-time Oscar-winner, Hanks is one of the most famous actors on the planet with roles including “Big” (1988), “A Leauge of Their Own” (1992), “Forrest Gump” (1994), “Apollo 13” (1995), “Cast Away,” (2000) and “Catch Me If You Can” (2002). More recently, Hanks starred in “The Post” (2017) and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (2019), and “News of the World” (2021).

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Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge)

   

Elvis met Priscilla when he was serving in the Armed Forces in Berlin, and she was fourteen years old. They kept their relationship lowkey until she turned 18. Priscilla married Elvis and together they had daughter Lisa Marie Presley. The pair divorced in 1973. DeJonge has appeared in series like “The Staircase” and “The Society.”

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Vernon Presley (Richard Roxburgh)

   

Elvis’ father Vernon Presley worked as a laborer before Elvis rose to stardom. After that, he managed Elvis’ affairs at Graceland and his Mansion in Memphis. He traveled with Elvis on tours, and worked closely with Parker. After Elvis died young, his father became executor of the blues singer’s estate. Richard Roxburgh played The Duke in Luhrmann’s “Moulin Rouge!”

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Gladys Presley (Helen Thompson)

   

Elvis had a very close relationship with his mother Gladys until she died at 46 years old. Her death influenced the rest of his life and music. Helen Thompson has appeared in shows like “Bad Mothers” (2019), “Stupid Stupid Man” (2006-2008) and “Blue Heelers” (2003).

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Dixie Locke (Natasha Bassett)

   

Dixie was Elvis’ first girlfriend. They dated from 1953-1955, before he gained major fame. Dixie met Elvis at The First Assembly of God in Memphis. She was 15 and he was 19. Bassett is known for “Spy Intervention” (2020), “Spinning Man” (2018), “Hail, Caesar!” (2016) and “Camp” (2013).

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“Big Boy” Crudup (Gary Clark Jr.)

   

Elvis and his band hit it big when they covered Aruther “Big Boy” Crudup’s “That’s All Right Mama.” Crudup was a major influence for Presley, who also covered his songs “That’s All Right,” “My Baby Left Me,” and “So Glad You’re Mine,” which boosted his rise to fame. Gary Clark Jr. is an actor and musician, most known for his soundtrack credits on “Venom” (2018), “Justice League” (2017), “Deepwater Horizon,” (2016) and “Stand Up Guys” (2012).

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Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Yola)

   

Gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, known as “The Godmother of Rock and Roll,” made an impact on Elvis too. She was known for pairing gospel lyrics with electric guitar. Tharpe made way for Elvis, Johnny Cash, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry as an under-acknowledged Black queer female guitarist way before her time. Yola is a singer-songwriter known for the 2021 song “Diamond Studded Shoes.”

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Big Mama Thornton (Shonka Dukureh)

 

Willie Mae Thornton was the daughter of a minister, and she was introduced to church music at an early age. She became a singer and songwriter in the blues genre, and Elvis covered her song “Hound Dog,” the chorus of which Dukureh sings in Doja Cat’s song “Vegas” on the “Elvis” soundtrack.

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B.B. King (Kelvin Harrison)

 

Riley B. King, who later became known as B.B. (Blues Boy) King, was an American guitarist and blues singer. King was another artist from whom Elvis drew inspiration. He and his guitar Lucille constantly toured, performing all over the country and world. King has performed alongside Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt and Van Morrison. Harrison has appeared in “Waves” (2019), “Luce” (2019), “Monsters and Men” (2018) and “It Comes At Night” (2017).

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Little Richard (Alton Mason)

Little Richard, known for bright costumes, an electrifying stage presence, and mixed gender performance, was known for hits like 1956’s “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Rip It Up,” 1957’s “Lucille” and “Good Golly Miss Molly” in 1958. Richard paved the way for genres like soul and funk, contributing fast-paced rhythms and accompanying high-energy lyrics. Richard influenced both Elvis and later Elton John, who compared his piano-playing style to Richard’s. He also gave the Beatles a big break by hiring them as an opening act and lyrically coaching Paul McCartney. Mason is a model and “Elvis” is his first major feature film role.

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Jimmie Rodgers (Kodi Smit-McPhee)

James Charles Rodgers became known as “The Father of Country Music” after he made a name for himself yodeling. Other ingredients to his musical style included traditional melodies and folk music of his southern upbringing, early jazz, the work chants of railroad section crews and African-American blues. Rodgers was the first performer to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, but he never met Elvis because he died of tuberculosis in 1933, two years before Elvis’ birth.

 

Smit-McPhee most earned an Oscar nomination for “The Power of the Dog” (2021) alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and also starred in “Dolemite Is My Name” (2017). Smit-McPhee is also known for “X-Men: Apocalypse” (2016), “Slow West” (2015) and “Let Me In” (2010).

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Steve Binder (Dacre Montgomery)

Steve Binder is an American producer and director. He directed “Elvis Presley’s ‘68 Comeback Special,” which revived Presley’s declining career. Binder documented what went into the special in his book ‘Elvis 68 Comeback.” Dacre Montgomery is known for playing the role of Billy Hargrove in Netflix’s “Stranger Things” as well as the red ranger in the 2017 film “Power Rangers.”