Yahoo Finance Baz Luhrmann clarifies not casting Harry Styles as Elvis, hopes to work with him in the future
Baz Luhrmann wants to assure people that even though he passed on Harry Styles for Elvis, he couldn't help falling in love with the pop star during his audition.
While sitting down with EW to discuss the upcoming biopic, Luhrmann clarified remarks he'd made previously about not casting Styles as the rock & roll icon, adding more details this time about his audition performance.
"We absolutely workshopped it, and it was joyous and so enjoyable, and he was so awesome," Luhrmann says of Styles. "But he's also got a whole other life. And you have to lock yourself away for 18 months."
Mike Marsland/WireImage; Anthony Pham via Getty Images
He continues, "I like to use [auditions] to learn something myself about the character and the material and all of that. So, I wouldn't be able to deny that Harry and I had a really good workshop on it."
The director doubled down on affirming Styles' talent as an actor, saying the singer's busy schedule was the biggest obstacle in casting him. In fact, he sees many parallels between Styles' recording career, flamboyant stage presence, and Elvis himself.
"I can't overstate how talented he is," Luhrmann gushes. "He is going to be a great actor, and he's already an iconic musician. He is next level musically, and in terms of fashion, he's almost like Elvis himself. He's a kind of modern Elvis. He's got the fluidity, visual thing. His music is always a surprise. He can be deep and meaningful. He can be light and poppy. He's just got it all. And he moves on stage. He's in the tradition of Elvis."
And just because it wasn't a fit this time around doesn't mean Luhrmann wouldn't jump at the chance to work with the pop star on another project.
"I can only hope that I get to work with him on some acting role in the future," he concludes. "Because he's that good."
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