Actress Olivia DeJonge has been cast as Priscilla Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming Elvis biopic.
The as yet untitled Warner Bros. film, which is due to hit cinemas next year on October 21, has already cast Austin Butler as Elvis in the title role. Tom Hanks will also appear in the film, as Colonel Tom Parker.
Speaking about DeJonge’s casting, Luhrmann said: “Olivia is capable of manifesting the complex depth and presence that has made Priscilla Presley an icon in her own right.”
He continued: “She’s an extremely talented young actor and the perfect counterpoint to Austin’s Elvis.”
Speaking earlier this year about the casting of Butler, Luhrmann said: “I knew I couldn’t make this film if the casting wasn’t absolutely right, and we searched thoroughly for an actor with the ability to evoke the singular natural movement and vocal qualities of this peerless star, but also the inner vulnerability of the artist…
“Throughout the casting process, it was an honour for me to encounter such a vast array of talent. I had heard about Austin Butler from his stand-out role opposite Denzel Washington in The Iceman Cometh on Broadway, and through a journey of extensive screen testing and music and performance workshops, I knew unequivocally that I had found someone who could embody the spirit of one of the world’s most iconic musical figures.”
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The movie will chart the musician’s rise to fame and examine his relationship with Parker. According to Warner Bros, the story will be set “against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and the loss of innocence in America.”