Moulin Rouge! Film Star Richard Roxburgh & More Join Baz Luhrmann's Elvis
September 17th, 2020 | By Lindsey Sullivan
Moulin Rouge! mastermind Baz Luhrmann's Elvis musical biopic has added more stars. Variety reports that Broadway alum Richard Roxburgh (who portrayed The Duke in the Moulin Rouge! film), Helen Thomson, David Wenham and Dacre Montgomery have joined the cast. They join the previously announced Austin Butler as Elvis Presley, Tom Hanks as his manager Colonel Tom Parker and Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley.
Roxburgh and Thomson will now will portray Elvis' parents, Vernon and Gladys Presley. Rufus Sewell and Maggie Gyllenhaal had originally signed on to play the roles, but delays due to the coronavirus pandemic caused a need for recasting. Wenham will play Hank Snow, and Montgomery will play TV director Steve Binder.
The film centers on Presley's rise and zenith, with a focus on his relationship to Parker, who held major control over Presley's life and career. Lurhmann co-wrote the script with Craig Pearce, with whom he penned the box-office hit Moulin Rouge!, which was adapted into a stage musical on Broadway last year.
A production timeline for Elvis will be announced later. Filming was originally supposed to begin last spring but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.