Austin besides noted that helium shares this "surreal moment" with manager Baz; co-stars Tom Hanks and Olivia DeJonge; producer Catherine Martin; cinematographer Mandy Walker; producer Gail Berman and "the full formed and unit of Elvis."

"To my chap nominees, your enactment is inspiring and I americium arrogant to beryllium successful this infinitesimal with you," helium continued. "My overwhelming gratitude to the Presley family is immeasurable. You opened your arms to maine and I volition ne'er hide it. No words tin picture the profound interaction you person had connected me. This is simply a imagination I volition ne'er forget." 

What's more? Ashley's other BFF, Austin's ex Vanessa Hudgens—who helium dated from 2011 to 2020—may beryllium to convey for the 31-year-old taking connected the relation of Elvis in the archetypal place. The Golden Globe winner recently explained that it was a "friend" who convinced him helium was cleanable for the part, and helium was perchance referring to the Princess Switch actress.

"The period earlier I heard that Baz was making the movie, I was going to look astatine Christmas lights with a friend," helium recalled during The Hollywood Reporter's Actors Roundtable Jan. 10. "And determination was an Elvis Christmas opus connected the vigor and I was singing on and my person looked implicit astatine maine and goes, ‘You've got to play Elvis.' I said, 'Oh, that's specified a agelong shot.'"

He added that weeks aboriginal she nudged him further aft seeing him play the piano.

"I ne'er truly sang for immoderate of my friends oregon anything," helium continued. "That aforesaid person was determination and I was playing the piano. She said, ‘I'm serious. You gotta fig retired however you tin get the rights to a script.' Then my cause called and said, ‘So Baz Luhrmann is making an Elvis film.'"

Of course, Austin's communicative is reminiscent of 1 Vanessa told successful 2019 pursuing his casting arsenic the King of Rock ‘n' Roll.

"Last December, we were driving on and we were listening to Christmas music, and past an Elvis Presley Christmas opus came on," the 34-year-old recalled on Live with Kelly and Ryan at the time. "He had conscionable dyed his hairsbreadth dark. He's a earthy blonde, blonde and I was looking astatine him and helium was singing on and I was like, ‘Babe, you request to play Elvis.'"

Click present to cheque out different archetypal clip Oscar nominees.