Vanessa Hudgens Has Date Night with Austin Butler at Premiere Days After He's Cast as Elvis
Add a huge Hollywood premiere to the list of things Austin Butler is celebrating.
The 27-year-old actor stepped out with girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens at the premiere of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood on Monday night. The outing came just days after he was cast as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopic of the singer. Butler stars as Tex in the Quentin Tarantino movie, one of the dangerous members of Charles Manson’s family.
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During the event, Butler spoke with Entertainment Tonight about his upcoming role, already dressed for the part in a crisp black ensemble and tousled black hair.
“I am just profoundly honored that Baz has invited me on this journey with him,” he told the outlet. “It’s an extraordinary privilege. And I just feel so blessed to be working with such singular directors like him and Quentin Tarantino.”
Hudgens and Butler have been linked together since 2011 and she proudly celebrated his casting after it was announced.
Luhrmann announced his decision on July 15, after having narrowed down his list to include Butler, Harry Styles, Ansel Elgort, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Miles Teller, per reports. All five of them are said to have tested in late June for the role.
“I knew I couldn’t make this film if the casting wasn’t absolutely right, and we searched thoroughly for an actor with the ability to evoke the singular natural movement and vocal qualities of this peerless star, but also the inner vulnerability of the artist,” Luhrmann said in a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Throughout the casting process, it was an honor for me to encounter such a vast array of talent,” he continued. “I had heard about Austin Butler from his standout role opposite Denzel Washington in The Iceman Cometh on Broadway, and through a journey of extensive screen testing and music and performance workshops, I knew unequivocally that I had found someone who could embody the spirit of one of the world’s most iconic musical figures.”
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood opens Friday.
