Liam Neeson says he was initially ‘worried’ Tom Hanks would ruin Elvis for him

Hanks stars as Elvis’s enigmatic manager Colonel Tom Parker

Liam Neeson worried seeing Tom Hanks would take him out of Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-nominated movie Elvis.

The director’s musical biopic follows the rock icon’s (Austin Butler) rise to superstardom and his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks).

“I thought it was fantastic,” Neeson told IndieWire in a new interview. “Extraordinary. Baz Luhrmann.”

“It was superb, really superb,” he continued. “I got a little bit worried when I saw Tom Hanks. I thought, ‘Oh no, oh please, this is taking me out of the film.’

“But for a very short time, a very short time. But he was wonderful. It was a wonderful performance. It really grew on me, that one.”

The film was warmly received by critics after its 24 June release last year. The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey praised it for making “the King cool again”.

Liam Neeson and Tom Hanks in ‘Elvis’ (Getty Images)

Butler’s portrayal, in particular, was lauded, and he went on to win his first Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Picture.

During a recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show, the 31-year-old actor said he “probably damaged his vocal cords” while impersonating the King of Rock n’ Roll.

Elvis is currently nominated in eight Oscar categories, including Best Picture.

The 95th Academy Awards will broadcast live on ABC beginning at 8pm EST on 12 March.