As of December 15, 2025, the cast of Baz Luhrmann’s cinematic epic, Elvis, continues to dominate Hollywood, with its lead actors moving on to some of the biggest blockbusters and prestige television projects of the decade. The film, a dazzling, kinetic portrayal of the life of Elvis Presley through the eyes of his controversial manager, Colonel Tom Parker, launched its stars into a new echelon of fame, resulting in a wave of high-profile, fresh projects that are defining their careers today.
Two years after the film’s massive success, which earned Austin Butler a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award, the ensemble cast is leveraging their newfound global recognition to take on diverse and challenging roles, from sci-fi villains to Australian stage productions, proving that the King's legacy is a springboard to lasting success.
The King and The Colonel: Main Cast Biography and Profiles
The core of the Elvis phenomenon rests on the shoulders of its two leading men, whose transformative performances captured the imagination of global audiences.
Austin Butler (Elvis Presley)
- Full Name: Austin Robert Butler
- Born: August 17, 1991, Anaheim, California, USA
- Career Highlights: Butler began his career as a child actor on Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel. His breakout adult role was in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) before landing the career-defining role of Elvis Presley.
- Accolades for Elvis: Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, BAFTA Award for Best Actor, Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Tom Hanks (Colonel Tom Parker)
- Full Name: Thomas Jeffrey Hanks
- Born: July 9, 1956, Concord, California, USA
- Career Highlights: One of the most recognizable and acclaimed actors in cinema history, Hanks is a two-time Academy Award winner for Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994). His role as the manipulative Colonel Tom Parker was a significant departure from his usually heroic or likable on-screen persona.
- Role Reflection: Hanks admitted to initially thinking, "What have I done?" after agreeing to the complex, heavily-prosthetic role, which was intentionally portrayed as an unreliable narrator by director Baz Luhrmann.
Austin Butler's Post-Elvis Reign: From Graceland to Arrakis
The biggest story emerging from the Elvis cast in the 2024-2025 period is the meteoric rise of Austin Butler, who successfully shed the "Elvis voice" for a string of major, high-profile projects that solidify his status as a leading man.
His first major post-Elvis cinematic role was as the terrifying villain Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic, Dune: Part Two (2024). The physical and vocal transformation for the role—which required him to be bald, eyebrow-less, and heavily armed—was as intense as his preparation for the King of Rock and Roll, showcasing his versatility.
Further demonstrating his range, Butler also starred as Major Gale Cleven in the 2024 Apple TV+ war drama series, Masters of the Air, a role that saw him return to a more traditional, heroic archetype. As of late 2025, Butler has two major films in the pipeline: a role in the upcoming crime film Caught Stealing and a part in the highly anticipated *Eddington*.
Despite his massive success, Butler has reflected on the intense experience of the Elvis shoot, admitting to experiencing "sort of an existential crisis" after the filming wrapped, a testament to the all-consuming nature of Baz Luhrmann's vision and the weight of portraying such an icon.
Beyond the Leads: Supporting Cast's Latest 2025 Endeavors
The supporting ensemble, crucial to bringing the world of Elvis Presley to life, has also seen a significant boost, with several actors securing exciting new projects in 2025 across film, television, and theatre.
Olivia DeJonge (Priscilla Presley)
Olivia DeJonge, who portrayed a young Priscilla Presley, has returned to her Australian roots for two significant projects in 2025. She is set to star in a stage production of Picnic At Hanging Rock with the Sydney Theatre Company and has a role in the Australian limited television series, The Narrow Road To The Deep North, confirming her focus on compelling, story-driven work.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. (B.B. King)
Kelvin Harrison Jr., whose performance as blues legend B.B. King was a highlight, is continuing his ascent with two major projects in 2025. He is slated to star in the rock opera O'Dessa, a highly anticipated film presented at SXSW 2025. Additionally, he has secured a major voice role in the prequel to Disney's *The Lion King*, voicing the character of Scar, demonstrating his vocal and dramatic range.
Other Key Entities and Their Roles
Baz Luhrmann's casting process was exhaustive, filling the screen with respected actors who embodied the real-life figures in Elvis's orbit. These actors, too, continue to work across the industry:
- Richard Roxburgh (Vernon Presley): Portrayed Elvis's father. Roxburgh is a veteran Australian actor known for his extensive work in film and television.
- Helen Thomson (Gladys Presley): Portrayed Elvis's mother. Thomson is a highly-regarded Australian theatre and screen actress.
- Dacre Montgomery (Steve Binder): Played the director of the iconic 1968 Comeback Special. Montgomery is widely known for his role in the Netflix series Stranger Things.
- Luke Bracey (Jerry Schilling): Portrayed Elvis's close friend and road manager.
- Yola (Sister Rosetta Tharpe): The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter gave a powerhouse performance as the "Godmother of Rock and Roll."
- Alton Mason (Little Richard): The model and dancer made his film debut as the legendary Little Richard.
Baz Luhrmann's Cinematic Universe and the Future of Elvis Cinema
The success of Elvis was a massive win for director Baz Luhrmann and his creative partner, costume designer Catherine Martin. Luhrmann's signature maximalist, "red carpet" cinematic style, previously seen in films like The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge!, proved to be the perfect vehicle for the extravagant life of Elvis Presley.
The director is not finished with the King's legacy. As of late 2025, there is buzz around a potential follow-up project: a documentary titled EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, which would serve as a companion piece to the 2022 biopic, further cementing the topical authority of the *Elvis* cinematic universe.
The film's impact also indirectly sparked a related cinematic project: Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, which focuses on the life of Priscilla Presley and is based on her 1985 memoir, *Elvis and Me*. This complementary film, released after Luhrmann's success, highlights the enduring public fascination with the Presley family dynamic, a theme central to the 2022 biopic.
The entire cast of Elvis, from the Oscar-nominated lead to the supporting players portraying musical legends like B.B. King and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, has moved forward with careers validated and turbocharged by the film. Their current success across major Hollywood franchises, prestige television, and respected theatre stages confirms that Baz Luhrmann's casting choices were nothing short of brilliant, ensuring the legacy of the film and its stars continues well into 2025 and beyond.
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