Tom Hanks offered Austin Butler role right after ELVIS to help prevent ’emotional whiplash’

Actor Austin Butler he began his career as a Disney kid, starring in several series for the network, later moving on to other shows. He broke into cinema just a few years ago and this year earned his first Oscar nomination after playing music icon Elvis Presley in the biopic Elvis, directed by Baz Luhrmann. He dove into the part, nailing the king of rock and roll’s signature accent, singing voice, dance moves and essence. This was the kind of role that would be hard to shrug off, evident to fans who heard him speak at awards ceremonies and talk show interviews this year, as did his co-star, Tom Hanks.

Hanks has been in the industry for decades and has played some big roles as well, and he could see the future laid out for his friend. He knew this would be a difficult role for Butler to part with, so he offered Butler a role in his own Apple TV+ miniseries. Masters of the air. Hanks also served as an executive producer on the project Steven Spielbergand had a part for Austin Butler in mind.

According to Butler, Hanks told him:

“You’ve immersed yourself so deeply in ‘Elvis’ that, for your sanity, it would be wise to move straight on to something else. If you jump off the train, you might get emotional whiplash…and, you know, I have this thing I’m producing.’”

Butler said that “Elvis” forced him “to go as far as what’s possible, and not every experience is going to be like that. I don’t think I’ll ever go through an experience like this again, but if I’m really going to dig, it makes me feel I live”.

Butler trained for three years to play Elvis Presley, even drinking melted Häagen-Dazs ice cream to gain weight for the film. The actor told GQ magazine last year that his commitment to the role was so compelling that he was diagnosed with a virus that hospitalized him the day after he wrapped production on the musical biopic. The virus faked appendicitis and left Butler bedridden for a week.

“The next day [after filming wrapped] I woke up at four in the morning in excruciating pain and was rushed to the hospital,” Butler said. “My body just started shutting down the day after I finished ‘Elvis.’”

Now that’s commitment, and it’s certainly paid off, but it seems like it’s over just in time for the star. Elvis is now available to stream on Max.

via: variety