By Ryan Louis Mantilla
 
Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley is one of the 20th century’s most significant cultural icons. He is an American music giant who has changed music and culture during his time. 
 
Apart from his handsome looks and natural sex appeal, Elvis Presley started a counter-cultural revolution by combining music genres such as blues, country, and bluegrass. From his music and stage presence, Presley’s legacy remains unmatched. And despite calling him the embodiment of rebellion in the 1950s, his legacy lives on. 
 
Elvis Presley undoubtedly led a remarkable career in the music industry. And playing the role of Presley in a motion picture requires extensive research and proper execution. 
 
Austin Butler explored a transformative performance as the musical legend in Baz Luhrmann’s film "Elvis," starring Butler himself and Oscar winner Tom Hanks.
 
"Elvis" depicts the tangled connection between Elvis Presley and his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker. The film explores Presley and Parker's complex interplay over 20 years, from Presley's ascent to prominence to his extraordinary stardom, against America's developing cultural environment and loss of innocence. 
 
But how did Austin Butler prepare for the once-in-a-lifetime role?
 
Luhrmann stated that Austin embarked on an extraordinary journey to play the role and discover Elvis as a human being. 
 
"In the same way that Marilyn Monroe isn’t just another movie star—she embodies a time, a place, a sensibility, a symbology—Elvis as we came to know him happened in a flash.  One minute he’s a truck driver and the next minute he’s the most famous man in the world," said Luhrmann.
 
"Elvis’s popularity intersected with the emergence of teenagers as an insatiable market force, connecting directly with their idols through radio and television. The level of rapid celebrity and wealth had no precedent and Elvis was on his own.  As he said later in life, ‘It’s very hard to live up to an image." he added. 
 
Austin expressed that he is fortunate to have plenty of people help him throughout his journey as the lead actor in the film: "Starting with Baz, the brilliant thing about Baz is that, in the most gentle and caring way, he can take you to a place where you can do more than you ever thought possible. He creates an environment where you’re free to make mistakes and free to try things."
 
To internalize Elvis’ physicality and iconic pelvic move, the actor worked with movement coach Polly Bennett before filming and during the shoot. 
 
"She helped me enormously not only to move the way he did, but to understand what makes a person move in the way they do," Butler expressed. 
 
Austin also worked with several vocal teachers to talk and sing in the icon's distinct manner: "Because the voice is so important, and the dialect. And Elvis’ voice really changed over the years."
 
Luhrmann, meanwhile, shared that they were lucky to find Austin because he was capable of singing like Elvis Presley—the kind of rough, rock, and punk sound.
 
"At the same time, Austin's job was to reveal the man not in the public light, but the man when he's tinkering at a piano and he's sad and he's singing ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’  Reveal the private Elvis and most of all, reveal the humanity and the spirituality of the man. While I really respect the craft of the ‘tribute artist,’ this is fundamentally different work; it's acting through song as opposed to impersonating an icon." Luhrmann shared. 
 
Witness newcomer Austin Butler's remarkable portrayal as musical superstar Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis," which opens in Philippine theaters on June 22.