Advertisement
Tom Hanks looks in good spirits as he fools around with director Baz Luhrmann at the star-studded Elvis screening in London
Tom Hanks put on an animated show Tuesday as he fooled around with director Baz Luhrmann at a screening of Elvis at the BFI Southbank in London.
The 65-year-old actor – who plays Elvis manager Colonel Tom Parker in the film – struck a series of playful poses with Baz on the red carpet.
The couple shook hands and joked with each other before joining the film’s lead, Austin Butler, to pose for the cameras.
Buddy: Tom Hanks put on an animated show on Tuesday as he fooled around with director Baz Luhrmann at a screening of Elvis at the BFI Southbank in London
Tom looked suave for the screening in a dark gray blazer and matching trousers, which he wore with a black shirt.
Baz, 59, ensured all eyes were on him as he posed for the cameras at the event, where he was joined by his wife Catherine Martin and their daughter Lillian.
The filmmaker wore a metallic black turtleneck top, which he wore with a matching cape and black pants, and an Elvis belt.
As he takes on the title role, Austin recently opened up about his all-consuming approach to taking on such an iconic character.
Screening: The 65-year-old actor, who stars in the film as Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker, struck a series of playful poses with Baz on the red carpet
Fun: The couple shook hands and joked with each other before joining the film’s lead, Austin Butler, to pose for the cameras together
Speaking on BBC’s The One Show, he said: “I had about a year and a half before we started filming. It feels like climbing Mount Everest, it’s just such a daunting task that for me I just had to take one step at a time.
“I started recording everything. I’ve looked at every piece of footage that’s out there, I’ve seen every interview he did throughout his career, and I’ve read every book that has been written about his life.
“Then I started breaking it down into pieces, so finding out how his voice has changed over the years and obsessing over it.
“It became this two-year obsession that took me on hiatus for the rest of my life. I went through every bit of his essence. From his spiritual development and the way he moved and how that changed over the years.’
Elegant: Tom looked suave for the screening in a dark gray blazer and matching trousers, which he wore with a black shirt
History: Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) spotted an unknown Elvis in 1955 and secured him a record deal within months
Discussing his wife Rita Wilson’s connection to Priscilla Presley, Tom said: “My wife knows Priscilla from some women’s cancer funds they started together.
Priscilla and Jerry Schilling, who stars in the film – one of the original Memphis Mafia – passed by the house.
“I was expecting to hear horror stories about the Colonel, but I heard just the opposite. Jerry and Priscilla loved the Colonel, he said he was a wonderful man.
“He brightened up every room he walked into. Was he lazy with some of the money? “Yeah we had to sue him and he gave it up and we got it.”
‘It was about a guy who was this Machiavellian puppeteer who was just a guy who said, ‘Well, of course!’ I had a treasure trove of anecdotal information.’
The film chronicles the life and career of Elvis from his early days as a child in Mississippi to his rise as a rock ‘n’ roll icon and movie star, as well as his complex relationship with his manager.
Dedication: Austin recently opened up about his all-consuming approach to taking on the role of Elvis, saying he spent a year and a half preparing it
