Jacob Elordi portrays Elvis Presley in the upcoming Sophia Coppola-helmed Priscilla Presley biopic Priscilla. Recently, he talked to Jimmy Fallon about landing the role and the film’s premiere.
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With the wide theatrical release of Priscilla less than two weeks away, Elordi appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to talk about the film. After a bit of banter, Fallon got down to business and asked the actor if he felt pressure portraying one of the most iconic musicians in history.
“I mean, it wasn’t on my list of people to play. It was definitely a little bit terrifying,” Elordi admitted. He added that he was not an Elvis fan when he was younger. “The most I knew of Elvis was in Lilo & Stitch,” he revealed.
To be fair, the 2002 animated Disney film takes place in Hawaii and has more than a few references to Presley. Obviously, it was enough to help Elordi land the role.
Fallon also wanted to know how the audition for the part went. Elordi said he didn’t expect to get the role. “Sophia had sent me these sides that said ‘Elvis’ and I was kind of just like, ‘There’s no chance that this is happening,” he told the host. However, that didn’t stop him from trying. “I watched this clip of him when he came back from the army in Germany. Then, I read the lines for 15 minutes and shot two takes, not thinking it would go anywhere.”
Fallon asked if Elordi felt intimidated by Coppola. “I think it was just exciting. That was just, like pure bliss,” the actor said. He went on to add that wanting to live up to her expectations made his performance better. “I tried to take it like I was making Blue Valentine or something—just a straight-up relationship drama without Elvis and Priscilla for Sophia Coppola. That was the goal.”
Priscilla is already well-received. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September and got a seven-minute standing ovation from the audience. It comes to theaters everywhere next Friday, November 3.
(Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)
