Jacob Elordi admits playing Elvis was the only time he’s ever had a belly: ‘I’d get the burger after an Italian meal’

Opening up about his transformation on screen to play the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, ‘Euphoria’ star Jacob Elordi says playing Elvis was the first time he has ever developed a “gut” due to gorging on bacon and huge meals every day.

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi says playing Elvis was the first time he has ever developed a “gut”.

The 26-year-old ‘Euphoria’ star took on the challenge of playing the King of Rock ’n’ Roll in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla’ – a year after Austin Butler, 32, got an Oscar nomination for playing the icon – and says he piled on the pounds by gorging on meat just like the singer, who infamously ended up a bloated wreck before his death aged 42 in 1977.

Jacob told the latest issue of British GQ: “It was the first time in my life that I ever had a gut. Bacon. It was about a pound of bacon every day.

“And then when I’d go to Canada – it was poutine and hamburgers. It’s really my pleasure. I could order Uber Eats and be like, ‘Should I get that burger after I’ve just had Italian? Yeah. Yeah, I will.’”

The Elvis in Sofia’s movie shows how he controlled what Priscilla wore and how she did her make-up.

It also shows him preventing her from having a job or a life of her own, and how he had constant affairs behind her back.

The film also highlights how Elvis and Priscilla – played by Cailee Spaeny, 26, in the film – met when he was 24 and she was 14.

As well as gorging on junk food, to prepare for the role as Elvis, Jacob read his widow Priscilla Presley’s memoir, ordered old DVDs of Elvis’s performances, and watched YouTube videos until he was certain he had seen nearly every piece of available footage that existed of the singer.

He said about taking on the part after Austin: “It certainly crossed my mind briefly before I’d read the script. I don’t want to tell the same story over, especially because he did such a fine job of portraying this man.

“It’s a completely different thing. And it’s terribly exciting, too, running into the fire a little bit. I can’t think of anything more exhilarating.”

The December/January issue of British GQ is available via digital download and on newsstands on 28 November.