Jacob Elordi To Star As King Of Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley, In New Movie
By Favour Adegoke on September 14, 2022 at 11:00 AM EDT
"Euphoria" actor Jacob Elordi is set to star as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola's take on the acclaimed King of Rock n Roll's life.
The actor landed the part after Coppola preferred him among other competing stars. He will star alongside "The First lady" actress Cailee Spaeny, who plays the role of Elvis' then-wife Priscilla Presley.
The storyline for the movie was influenced by Priscilla's 1985 biography, "Elvis and Me," which contained many details about her relationship with the legendary musician, including his multiple extramarital relationships and their divorce. Filming will begin in Toronto later in the fall, according to sources. However, more information on the movie's casting has not been made public.
Read on to learn more.
Jacob Elordi To Become King Of Rock And Roll
Known for his role as Noah Flynn in Netflix's romantic franchise "The Kissing Booth," Elordi is gearing up to play the part of the music maestro, Elvis Presley, in his latest adaptation story, being helmed by Sofia Coppola.
Per Deadline, the narrative of the upcoming film is inspired by the content of Priscilla Presley's 1985 memoir, "Elvis and Me." It detailed Elvis' then-wife's first interaction with the music legend, their marriage, his numerous affairs, his dabble into spiritualism, and other issues that led to the couple's divorce.
Coppola, who wrote the script as well, is best known for "The Virgin Suicides," "Marie Antoinette," and other top-notch flicks, including "On the Rocks" and "The Bling Ring."
The Apartment, a Fremantle Company, Sony's Stage 6 Films, and American Zoetrope will fund the movie, which will be produced by Coppola, Henley, Lorenzo Mieli of The Apartment, a Fremantle Company, and American Zoetrope. The film will be distributed by A24, Vision Distribution, Stage 6 Films, and Sony Pictures International Releasing. The film's release date is yet unknown.
Jacob Elordi On Elvis Presley
While the news of Elordi starring as Elvis is a recent development, the actor has previously declared his admiration for the music maestro. In his GQ cover story in September 2022, he revealed that his love for him made him purchase Peter Guralnick's Elvis biography Last Train to Memphis.
Per People, Elordi said at the time, "I was just like, damn, Elvis Presley wanted to be James Dean. He wanted to be Marlon Brando. I've researched almost every actor from that time period, and I passed [Elvis] off as an entertainer and singer."
He continued, "But then he was an actor. I guess, in a way, I'm trying to learn from these people. Because I obviously don't have any friends that have been through the same thing, really, so they're almost like guiding beacons."
Cailee Spaeny Will Star Opposite Jacob Elordi
Other casting details have not been released as the film is still in preproduction. However, it has been confirmed that actress Spaeny will star opposite Elordi as Elvis' then-wife, Priscilla. Per Deadline, Spaeny was Coppola's top choice for the part of Priscilla, unlike Elordi, who won the role after the filmmaker met with several actors.
The actress previously starred in the science fiction film "Pacific Rim: Uprising," neo-noir thriller "Bad Times at the El Royale," "On the Basis of Sex," "The Craft: Legacy" and "Vice." She has also taken on roles in a bevy of tv series, including "Devs," and the crime drama "Mare Of Easttown."
Her most recent feature came in Showtime's anthology series about former American first ladies, "The First Lady," where she starred as Anna Roosevelt Halsted.
Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis'
Coppola's take on Elvis comes after Baz Luhrmann's version, which debuted to critical acclaim earlier this year. It featured Austin Butler as the well-known singer and Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla, while Hollywood legend Tom Hanks portrayed Elvis' villainous manager, Col. Tom Parker.
The film also got lauded by Priscilla, who was initially skeptical that Luhrmann could do justice to a theatrical take on the music icon but was utterly satisfied by the finished product when it aired on the streaming platform HBO.
"I was a little concerned at first when I heard that [Baz] was doing the movie," she said per Fox News. "And at the end I went, 'Wow. This is Elvis, truly.'"
It remains to be seen how Coppola's upcoming version will fair when it debuts. Filming for "Priscilla" will start in Toronto later this fall.