Big Aussie Names Join Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Biopic

A string of big name Australian actors and new talent have joined the cast of Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic. 

With filming set to recommence in Queensland next week, after star Tom Hanks tested positive for coronavirus which halted production back in March, local names joining the project include Richard Roxburgh (Moulin Rouge!, Rake) who will portray Presley's father, Vernon Presley and award-winning theatre star Helen Thomson (Top of the Lake: China Girl), who will play Presley's mother, Gladys Presley, as well as David Wenham (The Lord Of The Rings), Xavier Samuel (Twilight, Gotham), Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things), Natasha Bassett (Hail, Caesar!) and Luke Bracey (Hacksaw Ridge). 

Other Australian actors announced for the film today are Leon Ford, Kate Mulvany, Gareth Davies, Charles Grounds, Josh McConville and Adam Dunn.

They all join a cast which already boast Hanks as Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Austin Butler as Presley and Australia's own Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley. 

“Elvis was surrounded by an extraordinary array of rich personalities, and we are very fortunate to pull together a tremendous ensemble to tell this story," Luhrmann said of the cast additions.

"It’s exciting to unite some of Australia’s finest actors, from longtime collaborators from Moulin Rouge!, Australia and The Great Gatsby like Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham and Kate Mulvany, to exciting new faces such as Dacre Montgomery, Helen Thomson, Luke Bracey, Natasha Bassett and many more.

"With the world as it is right now, our entire company is grateful that we can join together in this creative venture to bring employment and opportunity in front of and behind the camera, and to the community at large.”

Meanwhile, local artist Elliott Wheeler who has worked with artist including Sui Zhen, will compose the film's score, having already worked with Luhrmann on the filmmaker's Netflix series, The Get Down.

The Elvis biopic will be based on "the life and music of Elvis Presley, seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker" and "delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America".

The film is expected to be released in 2021.