Priscilla Presley & ‘Elvis’ Star Austin Butler Unexpectedly Arrive Together to The Met Gala
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Launch Gallery
The ‘King of Rock and Roll’ was at the Met Gala. Elvis Presley’s ex-wife, Pricilla Presley, attended the fashion event alongside Austin Butler, the man playing her late husband in the upcoming biopic.
The theme of the 2022 Met Gala was “gilded glamour,” and nothing could be more gilded than “The King” himself. So, it makes sense that Austin Butler, the actor portraying Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic, would attend the May 2 event. By Austin’s side was Pricilla Presley, the ex-wife of the former rock and roll icon. Pricilla, 76, and Austin, 30, matched in classic black, with Butler paying tribute to Elvis’s trademark scarves by wearing one loosely around his neck.
Priscilla’s dark red hair was worn down to the shoulders of her elegant dress. The all-black ensemble featured four straps on the front and a gold armband right above her elbow. She also accessorized with gold jewelry, bringing a little of the “Viva Las Vegas” glitz to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Both she and Austin brought a bit of elegance to the affair.
Other members of the Elvis cast joined Austin and Pricilla on the red carpet, including Kelvin Harrison J.R., who plays B.B. King in the movie. While speaking with Vogue, Kelvin shared that Elvis will show the friendship between Presley and King, and Kelvin was happy to bring that to light. Olivia DeJonge was also on-hand to speak about her portraying Pricilla. However, some might say that director Baz Luhrmann himself was the most “Elvis,” as he attended the Met Gala while dressed in an embellished suit jacket that could have been mistaken for an Elvis Presley jumpsuit.
Ahead of the Met Gala, Priscilla praised Austin’s work in portraying her late husband. She was privy to a special screening and said that Austin’s work was “outstanding.” She also added that it is “a true story told brilliantly and creatively that only Baz, in his unique artistic way, could have delivered…. the story, as we all know, does not have a happy ending. But I think you will understand a little bit more of Elvis’ journey, penned by a director who put his heart and soul and many hours into this film.”
Austin Butler reacts to Priscilla Presley praising his performance in #Elvis: “It’s a dream come true. It’s really special.” https://t.co/2kVWwK9Yn6 pic.twitter.com/YrZkiLnZ7W
— Variety (@Variety) May 2, 2022
Baz also had praise for Austin ahead of filming. “I always avoid getting in and heralding the work we’re doing before we do it,” the director told Deadline, “but during the testing process, his commitment, his transformative abilities from the young Elvis to beyond, he had been playing so very well. He was terrific. There was such great energy and excitement in the cast and company about the show we were about to shoot.”