Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Elvis

Victor · 07-05-2005 3:29pm #1

Now thats scary.

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/5513487?view=Eircomnet

Irish actor steps into Elvis's blue suede shoes
From:The Irish Independent
Saturday, 7th May, 2005

WHEN Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers was asked to play Elvis Presley, his first instinct was to reject the role.

"In my head I was saying, 'No, no, no', because I wasn't quite sure, first, about playing rock'n'roll stars; and second, somebody who's so well known," he said. "Then I thought to myself, 'Really, how often do you get to be a king? Wouldn't it be just a little bit of fun to be the king of rock'n'roll for eight weeks?'."

The result: 'Elvis' - a four-hour movie airing this week over two nights on US television. The cast includes Camryn Manheim as Presley's mother and Randy Quaid as manager 'Colonel' Tom Parker.

Rhys Meyers (27), from Cork, notes there are certain parallels between his own life and Presley's.

"I was brought up a poor boy from southern Ireland. He was brought up a poor boy from the south of America," he said. "There's not that much of a difference in being poor.

"You can relate to that, and having dreams."