If there are any Harry Stylers out there, you might want to look away. We’re so sorry to break it to you, but your flared pant-loving, former One Direction heartthrob will not be playing Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopic.
Austin Butler has been confirmed the play the role of Elvis in the film which will chronicle the star’s rise to fame from poor kid to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
It’s a mammoth gig for Austin, who has appeared in a handful of Nickelodeon and Disney shows and is also known by his hoards of thirsty Twitter fans as the arm candy of High School Musical actress, Vanessa Hudgens.
And speaking of thirsty fans, the social media love (and hate) Austin is receiving for the role is palpable. Austin beat both Harry Styles and Miles Teller who were rumoured choices for the role, sending their combined social media fandoms into an a bit of a tizz.
Harry seemed like an obvious choice for the role, considering his recent foray into film with 2017’s box office hit Dunkirk. Oh, and there’s also the fact that he’s already a musician, which would make those on-screen guitar solos seem a little more natural.
But what’s wrong with Austin? Sure, he’s the new guy on the block but according to Baz in a statement to Variety, he could “embody the spirit of one of the world’s most iconic musical figures.” Also, there is no denying that the resemblance to Elvis is uncanny.
If you’re still miffed that Austin is going to play Elvis instead of Harry, or Miles, just remember that our beloved Tom Hanks has also been cast in the film as manager Col. Tom Parker. There’s always a silver lining if you look hard enough.
