Austin Butler as Elvis
He may be the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, but Elvis the movie wasn’t worthy enough for Academy Award voters. The film got shut out, including the biggest award, for Best Picture. The biographical film, which has earned $287.3 million at the worldwide box-office, received a total of eight nominations including Best Actor for Austin Butler’s lead performance. The 95th Academy Awards were held on March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
The film’s eight nominations also included Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design. During the recent awards season, which culminated with the Academy Awards, Butler had previously won at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs for his leading role, as well as the People’s Choice Award for Drama Movie Star of 2022.
The epic, big-screen spectacle from Warner Bros. Pictures and director Baz Luhrmann explores the life and music of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, starring Austin Butler and Oscar winner Tom Hanks. (Butler lost out for Best Actor to Brendan Fraser [The Whale]. Luhrmann did not receive a Best Director nomination from the Academy.)
The success of the film has rejuvenated the late King’s legacy, broadening his audience from his solid, but aging fan base by giving Presley’s image a more contemporary makeover. Elvis doesn’t ignore the legend’s bloated, pill-popping final years. Instead it offers the broad spectrum of his spectacular rise and subsequent fall, when he died at just 42.
Presley’s story is seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). As told by Parker, the film delves into the complex dynamic between the two spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).
Award-winning theatre actress Helen Thomson plays Elvis’s mother, Gladys, and Richard Roxburgh portrays Elvis’s father, Vernon. Other key roles are acted by Luke Bracey who plays Jerry Schilling, a key member of Presley’s so-called “Memphis Mafia”; Natasha Bassett plays Elvis’ first girlfriend, Dixie Locke; David Wenham is ’50s country music artist Hank Snow; Kelvin Harrison Jr. plays B.B. King; Xavier Samuel portrays longtime Presley band member Scotty Moore; and Kodi Smit-McPhee plays Jimmie Rodgers Snow.
“I can’t believe this is actually real,” shares @austinbutler with @OnTheRedCarpet #austinbutler #elvis #Oscars #oscarnominee pic.twitter.com/qdjK1W9c9h
— On The Red Carpet (@OnTheRedCarpet) March 12, 2023
Through March 12, 2023, the film’s $287.3 million take at the worldwide box-office placed it #16 overall among 2022 film releases.
Related: Elvis’ inspiring “If I Can Dream” – Behind the Song
11 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationEnjoyed the film so much – bought the dvd. I work at a nursing home and we have a patient who likes to be called “Elvis” is a big fan. Told him I would bring the film in so he could watch it and he was thrilled. So the movie Elvis may have been snubbed at the Oscar’s but for this elderly man it made his day and is waiting the arrival of the film. Thank you so much to all the people involved in this wonderful film!!!
That’s so wonderful of you to do that I have been in love with him since I was 8 yrs old and I’m 65, l have granddaughters that love him too thanks to their granny lol, I even have a fishtank with his things (no H2O),,lol he’s still in my BUILDING AND WILL STAY THERE ,,!!!LONG LIVE ELECTRIC ELVIS !!!❤️❤️❤️
Austin Butler got robbed. Shame on the academy.
You got that right!!!!
I like Brendan but in my heart Austin should have won best actor
The Academy Awards are so lost. So far away from knowing what is actually good. Entangled in bad politics instead of talent. It’s been progressively worse for the past 15 years. Disgustingly embarrassing….
Austin Butler was robbed of the Academy award that he’s so deserved. He was truly amazing his singing his acting everything about him made me believe that he was Elvis. There’s never been another film done like this before about Elvis in this way, Austin Butler was truly amazing and deserve to win. I’m so disappointed.
Couldn’t agree more! I’m not an Elvis fan but this film was about much more than Elvis. And for me was an absolute masterclass of fantastic Directing and superb acting. Well done Baz Austin and the entire team.
I have not watched the A. Awards for years due to exactly what happened again this year. I watched it only for the Elvis nominations. I believe the people who vote for these awards got lost along the way. America is so distorted by wokism, socialism, genderism, and racism a story about a poor white southern boy who made good just could not muster their interest due to their social platforms. The film was spectacular on its own right in every category for which it was nominated. Most of all Austin Butler’s portrayal of his character, Elvis Presley, is without any doubt, Superb. Regardless of the story line and the continual historical relevance of EP, his acting job was worthy of the Academy Award for Best Actor. At least the Golden Globes got it right. I look forward to watching the other films when they make it to cable. We watched Elvis and Top Gun at the theater. It will be interesting if I ever set foot in a theater again.
Shame on you Academy awards.
Everything Anywhere all at once
THUMBS DOWN!!!!
What a disappointment……….
No question in my mind that Austin Butler deserved the Oscar for his incendiary performance as Elvis. At least he was nominated. Danielle Deadwyler was not even nominated for her brilliant performance as Emmitt Till’s mother in Till. The Academy pats itself on the back for all the progress they have allegedly made. But they have forgotten what real genuine talent and filmmaking is in order to try to make people forget their past egregious mistakes. I could not watch this year. But I will continue to watch Elvis.
Austin Butler’s performance was phenomenal! He should have won the Oscar. Either it was rigged, the online voting or the Academy is out of sync with the moviegoers. I have lost my faith in the organization. Their pics are not the best that’s why I think it was rigged! Or were the votes bought?