They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
If that old adage still holds any merit, then the subject of today's video might just be
one of the most adulated figures in pop culture history.
There are literally tons of folks who have played Elvis Presley over the years, but there
are very few that have actually portrayed the King of rock and roll well.
If you were to count every last person that ever slapped on a black wig, rhinestone-covered
jumpsuit, and a pair of dark sunglasses, then you'd probably keel over before you got through
with your list.
Just trying to keep track of all of the Vegas Elvis impersonators alone would be a fool's
errand.
Elvis Presley was and likely always will be an icon of American culture.
If you were to say that he was just 'okay' to one of his die-hard devotees, then you
should either be prepared to get into one heated argument or simply walk away and cut
your losses.
No, seriously – Elvis fans take Graceland's finest very seriously.
The last thing you want to do is step on an Elvis-lovers blue suede shoes.
The actors that have portrayed this late legend may be a dime a dozen, but as we mentioned
a moment ago, only a tiny fraction have ever managed to capture the true essence of the
man in their performances.
Join us as we take a look back at some of the very best – and worst – actors who
have played Elvis Presley on screen.
Austin Butler – Elvis (2022)
Director Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic just premiered at Cannes back in May and is slated
for a US release on June 24, 2022.
So far, the highly-anticipated movie has received rave reviews from critics who are citing Butler’s
performance as being the film’s strongest asset.
While we regrettably haven’t gotten a chance to screen the film yet, Butler’s portrayal
of Tupelo’s golden boy is said to be almost spot-on.
Plus, he does a lot of his own singing throughout the film.
And from what we've seen so far in trailers, he matches the signature richness and power
of Presley to an astonishingly impressive degree.
Critics are also praising Butler for his convincing depiction of Presley's latter pill-hazed darker
years.
And really that's quite a feat to pull off.
It's one thing to embody the King in his prime, but it's quite another to channel him effectively
throughout his lower points as well.
Tyler Hilton – Walk The Line
Hilton's role in this Johnny Cash biopic was a bit understated because, well, the film
was all about Cash.
As such, everyone else who showed up in the flick was basically just thrown into the mix
to add a bit of authenticity to the musical period piece.
That being said, there is this one pivotal scene featuring the hip-gyrating rockstar
that has been argued over extensively, seeing as how it’s been deemed somewhat problematic.
In it, The Man In Black starts knocking back handfuls of pills after seeing Elvis do it.
After all, if The King does drugs, then they must be okay, right?
The pills that the two youth-corrupting musicians took were commonly used so that they could
get from show to show without having to take any extra time.
Because, you know, sleeps for the weak!
Obviously, however, this little cheat code eventually became a HUGE problem for both
musicians.
The actor who played Elvis, Tyler Hilton, has been a professional singer-songwriter
since 2000.
If you've never heard his music before, he's been compared to people like Elton John and
Howie Day.
As far as his acting career goes, in addition to playing Presley in Walk the Line, he’s
also appeared on shows like One Tree Hill Pitch and in films such as Charlie Bartlett
and Christmas on the Bayou.
David Keith – Heartbreak Hotel
In this absurd fictional 1988 comedy, after a single mom with two kids gets hit by a car
and is hospitalized, her teenage son and his band drive out to Cleveland in a Pink Cadillac
to kidnap Elvis as a birthday present for his injured mother.
After nabbing the star, Elvis is taken back to the boarding house that the mother owns.
At first, Elvis and the boy don't get along, but in time they become friends.
By the end of the film, Elvis and the boy's band play the song Heartbreak Hotel at the
high school talent show.
Was this a good movie?
Rotten Tomatoes suggests that it was a bit of a stinker, but you'll have to watch it
and be the judge of that for yourself.
Regardless, David Keith's portrayal of Elvis was pretty golden.
Real quick – if you've been enjoying this video so far, take a moment to show us a little
support by giving this video a like and by subscribing to the Facts Verse channel.
And don't go anywhere just yet.
Keep watching to see who we think gave the absolute BEST on-screen Elvis performance.
Michael Shannon – Elvis & Nixon
In this film, neither actor really looks like the figure they are playing, but that's okay
since it's more of an extrapolated satire based upon the famous picture taken of the
real Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley decades ago.
Shannon does his best to get the look down pat – and to a degree, he accomplishes that
adequately – but what makes his performance so entertaining is his attempt at capturing
all of Elvis's little idiosyncrasies and eccentricities.
Is it an accurate portrayal?
Well, probably not, but it's still fairly amusing.
Radio Times praised Shannon's acting, calling him 'an enjoyably left-field choice as a jaded,
increasingly alienated Presley'.
Bruce Campbell – Bubba Ho-Tep
So, this one might be a bit of a stretch seeing as how Campbell played a very unorthodox,
fictionalized version of Elvis, but he rocked the look so well that we had to go ahead and
include it in the video.
Most Elvis look-a-likes simply don't have the build, facial structure, and swagger to
do the King justice, but that's not really even the point, now is it?
It's all about paying homage to one of the greatest 20th-century music legends while
having a bit of fun in the process.
Fortunately, though, Campbell not only got the look right in Bubba Ho-Tep, but he also
looked like he had a blast doing it.
The 2002 comedy-horror film features Elvis as an aging resident at a nursing home and
his buddy John F. Kennedy who appear in this universe survived the assassination attempt,
was patched up, dyed black, and abandoned at the home as well.
The two are then forced to face off against a re-animated mummy that was stolen from a
museum.
It's a pretty ridiculous concept, but thoroughly entertaining for those that don't mind a little
bit of campy cheesiness.
Harvey Keitel – Finding Graceland
This film is all about an eccentric drifter who claims to be the real Elvis years after
allegedly staging his death.
After hitching a ride with a young man, the two find themselves on a cross-country road
trip en route to Memphis.
While the movie wasn't well-received with critics, Keitel's performance as an Elvis
impostor was memorable, to say the least.
Kurt Russell – Elvis (1979)
This TV film, directed by John Carpenter, features one of the absolute best Elvis performances
of all time.
Russell threw himself into the role and absolutely nailed it.
He had the voice down almost perfectly and managed to imitate Presley's mannerisms, movements,
and swagger to a tee.
This wasn't actually the only time that Kurt portrayed Presley either.
He briefly took on the role when he appeared in the 2001 film 3000 Miles to Graceland alongside
Kevin Costner, Courtney Cox, and David Marquette.
Although to be fair, in that movie, he's just a guy in an Elvis costume who attempts to
pull off a Casino heist in Vegas.
Still, he looked damn good doing it.
Michael St. Gerard – Elvis (1990 TV Series)
This wasn’t the only time that Gerard played Elvis, as he briefly portrayed the King in
the 1999 Jerry Lee Lewis film Great Balls of Fire.
The 13-episode series aired on ABC from February 6 to May 19, 1990, before being canceled due
to low ratings.
The series was later edited into a four-hour mini-series titled Elvis: The Early Years.
We also want to take a moment to give a shoutout to Elvis-voice impersonator Ronnie McDowell
for providing the singing voice for Gerard throughout the series.
Gerard, much like many of the other stars we’ve discussed in this video, had the look
that defines the way how most people want to appear when impersonating Presley.
He had that perfect baby face and classic charm that made him the ideal casting choice
for the role.
Jack White – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Walk Hard, as you might recall, was a fictional biopic comedy film about an early rock and
roll star played by John C. Reiley.
The film drew heavy inspiration from and lampooned films like Walk the Line and Ray.
Throughout Cox's nitty-gritty musical journey, he comes across other notable musicians like
Bob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams, and of course, Elvis Presley.
We’re not going to lie.
While we know that this movie is supposed to be satire, Jack White’s portrayal of
Elvis was perhaps one of the most spot-on depictions of the King in film history.
In his brief scene, the former White Stripes rocker performs in-character on stage alongside
Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper before Dewey gives his first concert performance.
So what do you think?
Who, in your opinion, has given the best Elvis Presley performance on screen?
How about the worst?
And are you as excited as we are about the upcoming Elvis biopic?
Let us know in the comments.
Before you move on to watching another one of our facts-packed videos, take a moment
to show us a little support by giving this video a like and subscribing to the Facts
Verse channel.
While you're at it, tap the bell to turn on notifications.
That way, you can keep up with all of our latest and upcoming videos without missing
a beat.
As always, thanks for watching!
We’ll see you soon with more videos covering some of your favorite films, television shows,
and stars.