Tom Hanks has weighed in on playing the polarising role of Colonel Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.
The Bridge of Spies star features as Elvis Presley's manager, hailing from the Netherlands, opposite Austin Butler in the titular role.
Presented at Cannes this year, the film has been criticised over Hanks' thick accent as Parker, whose real name was Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk. According to Variety, the actor appeared to avoid directly commenting on researching the manager's Dutch background.
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"The amount of ways that Parker cheated people out of nickels and dimes and dollars is extraordinary, and in my own way I've incorporated some of that in my own life," Hanks said.
"As far as his background, I think no one knew the Colonel's background. There are some extraordinary, tabloidy, melodramatic stories about why and how he left Holland.
"I'd like to think, yeah, he was running away from an aspect of his past and escaping his small town, and who among us wouldn't jump at an opportunity to do that very thing?"
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As per the official synopsis, Elvis will zero in on "the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker 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".
Hanks continued: "Was he a cheap crook that played fast and loose? Yeah, when it comes down to that, but I worked that all out to everyone's satisfaction. He was a man who brought joy to everything he did — along with a bit of larceny."
Alongside Hanks and Butler, Elvis also stars Stranger Things' Dacre Montgomery, Olivia DeJonge and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
Elvis hits cinemas from June 24.
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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
