Colonel Tom Parker’s widow gave her blessing for Tom Hanks to play her husband in the upcoming Baz Luhrmann biopic of the King of Rock and Roll.
Luhrmann, famous for his big, sweeping epics such as Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet, chose Austin Butler to play Elvis in the now untitled project due out next year.
Loanne Parker, who died in 2020, said in 2019 that she liked the casting because she felt Hanks would treat her husband fairly. The narrative around The King’s and Parker’s relationship was parasitic and domineering, with Parker playing the villain. His wife said that was never the truth, but Hollywood and the news media need a hero and a villain in every story.
“I would like to talk to him about the trust that was in that relationship, about the truth in the management, which was that Colonel never took advantage of Elvis,” Loanne continued. “Every story has a hero and a villain, and the past story have made Elvis the hero, and that leaves only The Colonel to be the villain. And both of them were heroes, each in their own right. They each made history in their own way. I would like to see that clarified. I’d like to see the truth there.”
“I have great faith in Tom Hanks’ sincerity, and his integrity,” she said. “I just pray that he wouldn’t do anything less than the truth.”
“There’s fictionalization out there that Colonel took more from Elvis than he should have. He never did,” she said. “Elvis was his only artist. He did everything for him. He did publicity, he did advertising, he did all of that. Financially, it was fair — it was very fair. They were partners.”
Loanne Parker, TMZ
Tom Hanks Hates His Haircut for the Film
Tom Hanks recently went on The Graham Norton Show and revealed the haircut he’ll sport in the movie. He hates it.
“Check out this horrible… can you see that?!” the multiple Oscar winner joked before bending down to reveal his haircut. “Look at that thing! I just scared the children!”
He’s currently in Australia filming it now.
Parker was known for his heavy-handed treatment when it came to protecting and advancing Elvis’ career. But whether that was out of a sense of nurturing a fragile talent or if he was a Svengali who had Elvis under his spell has always been a matter of debate.
Elvis even seemed to struggle with whether Parker was a good or bad influence. The King tried to fire him multiple times, but Parker remained on as Presley’s manager until he died in 1977. Parker died in 1997.
Not much is known about Luhrmann’s intentions or direction of the film, so how they plan to portray the eccentric Colonel Parker in the film is unclear. But Parker’s wife believes it could rehab his image in the public’s eye.
