The heartbreaking reason why Elvis Presley turned down Barbra Streisand's 'A Star Is Born'

25 April 2024, 13:15

He was 'The King' for a reason.

Elvis Presley brought rock 'n' roll to the masses, all the while oozing charisma and sex appeal like nothing the fifties had seen before.

That was behind the microphone, of course, but Elvis was also equally adept in charming audiences when appearing on the silver screen too.

From 1956 to 1969, Presley starred in a total of thirty-one films, some of which showcased his musical muscle and acting chops much better than others.

At the start of his movie career, Elvis set his sights on becoming a dramatic actor as highly regarded as the likes of Marlon Brando or James Dean.

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However as things panned out, the quality of his movies became much worse, with the 'Blue Suede Shoes' rocker turning his back on acting altogether after 1969's third-rate rom-com Change Of Habit.

There was an opportunity to change his on-screen fortunes however, when a few years later he was offered the chance to star alongside Barbra Streisand in the musical drama A Star Is Born.

As we know, the role eventually went to Kris Kristofferson, with Elvis declining the opportunity to revitalise his career in movies. But why?

It was certainly a missed opportunity - A Star Is Born went on to become a box office smash, and won four Oscars in the process.

Not only that, the film received retrospective recognition once again after Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga remade the film in 2018.

Barbra and Elvis were both aware of each other's talents, having both taken on stints at the Las Vegas International Hotel.

The only reason Elvis himself signed on to perform at the hotel was if someone else was their inaugural performer, which Barbra duly obliged, becoming the highest-paid performer in nightclub history at the time.

So, they knew what each other was capable of, and met in 1974 to discuss Elvis playing the tortured, booze-swilling male lead who falls in love with the young, talented female singer.

He was so excited about the prospect of being a genuine, respected actor, moving away from the fluffy (albeit beloved by his fans) movies he'd become trapped in.

But as we know it didn't happen, and it was his manager Colonel Tom Parker who was to blame, unsurprisingly.

The Colonel's demands for his client were excessive, wanting Elvis to hold the first credit over Barbra as well as a $1 million salary and a daily per diem of £1000.

Worried that it might suggest Elvis' career was in decline if he didn't have top billing, that was far from the case - at least in a commercial sense, Presley kept packing out venues.

Safe to say, the demands were deemed too much for an artist who hadn't acted in half a decade. The contract is still reportedly in the Graceland archives.

Memphis Mafia member Jerry Schilling later reflected on the missed opportunity, saying: "There was no way the film's budget could stand two superstar salaries and Elvis didn't care about the money."

"He was smart enough to know that this kind of supporting role could be his way back into the movies."

There's a moment in Baz Luhrmann's biopic Elvis, where Presley confides in his wife Priscilla about the opportunity to feature in A Star, Is Born, fretting about turning 40 and that he won't be remembered as a serious artist.

Though his legend remains intact about his music and cultural impact, it could have been a different story for Elvis if he made his way back to the silver screen.

He never made another film, before tragically dying of a heart attack on 16th August 1977 at the age of just 42.