Did Tom Hanks Gain Weight for Elvis? How He Transformed Into Col. Tom Parker

Elvis

Summary

Tom Hanks ' extreme transformation inElvisraised questions about how much of his visual aspect was prosthetics , and how much of it was his physical commitment to the part . In the moving-picture show , the 60 - twelvemonth - former American worker portrayed " Colonel " Tom Parker , Presley ’s handler . While the Oscar nomination - desirable performance byAustin Butler as Elvisis the highlight of the film , the movie also break plenty of grandness to the role of the handler , which spawn mixed response regarding Hanks ’ portrayal .

Colonel Parker ’s function was challenging for Tom Hanks for several reasons . In the first blank space , he is someone who financially and emotionally abused Elvis , so he is perceive as the antagonist in the flick , something two - sentence Oscar winner Tom Hanks is not used to , as he is frequently go through portray the good hombre . Secondly , the forcible transmutation was also a huge challenge considering the divergence between his coming into court and the Colonel ’s . ConsideringTom Hanks ’ filmographyand the times he ’s changed his appearance , it is reasonable to think he could have gained some weight for the use .

Tom Hanks Wore A Fatsuit & Prosthetics To Play Tom Parker In Elvis

Tom Hanks has a long history of physical translation for specific role . However , there are some fact to keep in mind when discussing his grooming for play Colonel Parker inElvis . Tom Hanks is now 67 years old , so undergoing extreme diet either to acquire or lose weight might not be a healthy alternative at that stage in life . To make matter worse , Hanks was diagnosed with case 2 diabetes in 2013 , which fully prevent him from doing whatever it take to reach out a sealed weight . It is for that reason thatTom Hank ’s coming into court inElvisis one hundred percent make - up .

Regarding Colonel Parker ’s big body , Hanks wore what is ordinarily lie with as a fatsuit , which is a one - piece bodysuit meant to thicken an doer ’s appearance to make him look heavy . Brendan Fraiser ’s fatsuit inThe Whaleis another thoroughgoing example of this . As for the double Kuki-Chin and tumid olfactory organ , this was accomplish through prosthetic makeup . Also , Hanks had to shave the top of his capitulum to further match Parker ’s bald appearance . Interestingly , exchange his strong-arm visual aspect was only part of the cognitive process necessary to transform into Colonel Parker inElvis .

Tom Hanks' Colonel Tom Parker Accent In Elvis Explained

Besides his exceptional physical appearance , Colonel Parker ’s idiom was a huge part of the worker ’s piece of work to become the character . Parker had emigrated from the Netherlands and was trying to make his Dutch accent mountain pass for an American southern accent , which made him sound quite decided . According to Alanna Nash , Parker ’s biographer , his way of talking was rural and it resemble someone with a speech impediment or a very specific idiom from the South of the US .

Even thoughTom Hanks ' Colonel Parker ’s emphasis is inaccurate , concord to Nash , there is a good intellect behind it inElvis . Hank ’s emphasis , while different from what Parker in reality sounded like , has a great deal of work behind it andis meant to indicate there is something phony around the Colonel ’s character , thus hinting at his various personality flaw and subterraneous motives . keep this in mind , Hanks ’s portrayal is rather effective , as he supervise to create a electronegative aura around the fictitious character which is sustained considerably by his finical fashion of utter .

Tom Hanks' History Of Losing & Gaining Weight For Movie Roles

AlthoughElviswas distinctly not the slip , as it was antecedently launch , before being diagnose with diabetes , Hanks had had a long history of physical transformations for film role . The most noted of them is the one he underwent for the office of Chuck Noland inCast Away , one of Tom Hank ’s most celebrated performances . He gained 50 pounds for the first part of the plastic film and then lose them to look like a four - year castaway . However , this was not the only meter he underwent a strong-arm transmutation like that , as he also did it to portray Andrew Beckett inPhiladelphiaas well as Jimmy Dougan inA League of Their Own .