Tom Hanks reluctantly reveals how he’s altered his appearance for a key role in the upcoming Elvis biopic. Set to be directed by Baz Luhrmann, who previously helmed 2013’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby, the film has already gathered an impressive cast. Austin Butler will star as the title character, while Olivia DeJonge, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Luke Bracey, Dacre Montgomery, and Yola will all appear as significant individuals from Elvis’ life.
Hanks portrays one of the most significant individuals. The Oscar winner is set to play Colonel Tom Parker, the man who discovered Elvis in 1955 and eventually became his sole representative. The partnership was beneficial, as it helped lead to the singer’s massive success, albeit Parker’s tenure was not without its controversies. Hanks is already looking like Parker for the biopic, which is currently due to be released in late 2021.
The reveal came during an interview on The Graham Norton Show. Hanks mentioned that he was in Australia to shoot the upcoming Elvis biopic. And then, looking like he instantly regretted mentioning the fact, the celebrated actor offered to show how he changed up his appearance in order to better fit the part of Elvis’ manager. With notable reluctance, Hanks takes off his hat to reveal his new haircut. But only for a moment. You can check it out in the hilarious clip below.
While the new look, which resembles J.K. Simmons in his Spider-Man: Far From Home cameo, might take some adjustment, it’s not the only alteration Hanks has to make for the sake of playing Parker. Hanks has explained why he doesn’t favor villainous roles. Parker could potentially challenge that preference, as he’s a considerably complicated figure. He famously lied about his childhood, an area which could be the focus of its own movie, and an investigation later in life found his management practices to be unethical. Parker might not have been a strictly antagonistic individual, but he would definitely count as a less for a less than wholesome portrayal from Hanks.
Still, it would hardly be unheard of for a biopic to gloss over certain uncomfortable truths. It is also the case that the genre freely alters key facts in order to hook audiences with a more emotionally engaging and tidier narrative. The Social Network, for example, elevated Andrew Garfield’s character to a heroic protagonist. This is in spite of how the real life person Garfield portrayed had substantial flaws of his own. Regardless of whichever approach the Elvis biopic favors, however, Hanks will almost certainly provide a memorable performance.
Source: The Graham Norton Show