Baz Luhrmann’s musical biopic Elvis has easily become one of the most anticipated films of the year, with it featuring 30-year-old acting heartthrob Austin Butler in the lead role as the rhinestone-wearing, hip-swinging King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. The upcoming movie is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival today, and showcases the illustrious career and personal life of the legendary performer.
Ahead of the film’s long-awaited premiere, Butler sat down for an interview with GQ, where he explained that he embodied the role of Elvis with such precision that he experienced chronic pain just a few hours after filming concluded.
The next day [after filming wrapped] I woke up at four in the morning with excruciating pain, and I was rushed to hospital. My body just started shutting down the day after I finished ‘Elvis.’
From what we’ve seen in the official trailer, it’s no surprise that Butler would be feeling the effects of Elvis’ iconic hip-swinging rotations that he was famously known for throughout his career. Butler, who has been extremely vocal about his excitement for the once-in-a-lifetime role, revealed later in the interview that he received a diagnosis of a virus that can cause appendicitis, thus explaining the pain.
Despite the unexpected physical ailments, Butler has perfectly captivated Elvis’ personality and movement, so much so that Lisa Marie Presley is confident he’ll win an Oscar for his standout performance.
Elvis is set to be theatrically released in the United States on June 24.
