Elvis cast and crew reflect on the singer's ties to Black music in America
Director Baz Luhrmann, Austin Butler, Yola, and more dive into the issue of Elvis and race
While Elvis has been deemed the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” for over 60 years, many people rightfully point out that countless Black artists—both men and women—pioneered the genre long before Elvis started shaking his hips. With Baz Luhrmann’s new biopic Elvis hitting theaters, the director along with the film’s stars have opened up about Elvis’ connection to the Black community, and the musicians in the rock ‘n’ roll genre who came before him.
“Well, it’s even separate from important,” Luhrmann says in a new interview with IGN. “It’s not possible to tell the story of Elvis Presley without dealing with the issue of his relationship to Black music, Black culture, and in particular, the issue of race.”
“No, you can’t tell Elvis a story without [exploring] that,” Austin Butler, who plays Elvis, affirms before adding, “I’m so proud of the fact that we get to be a part of this film that puts his life in context, specifically around that, because credit needs to be given where credit is due.”
In Elvis, you’ll see actors playing B.B. King, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, and Big Mama Thornton—all major players in the beginnings of rock ‘n’ roll. Kelvin Harrison Jr. plays B.B. King, and said the topic of race and Elvis was the first thing he brought up when he was approached about the film.