The Aussie actor recently revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he immersed himself into the character in a very unique way ... namely, by stuffing his face with bacon -- and a helluva lot of it, too.

During the roundtable, Coppola noted that Elordi ate a lot of pork strips on set -- which JE confirmed ... pointing out he would apparently down about a pound a day while working.

Seems this technique stemmed from something Priscilla Presley herself told them about her late ex-hubby and his grub of choice. Now, as for how all this bacon gorging affected Jake ... he says he got quite heavy, although he's fortunate enough that it never really showed.

It's interesting ... Elordi's approach to method acting (basically, clogging his arteries just like Elvis, it seems) significantly differs from Austin Butler's -- who continued using his Elvis voice well after cameras had stopped rolling.

AB's commitment to the schtick was praised by some ... and ridiculed by others.

Funny enough ... it sounds like Elordi's take might actually be more accurate to EP himself -- at least according to Coppola, who (in this same EW sit-down) says Priscilla told her after one of the screenings that JE's voice sounded just like Elvis did once upon a time.

The flick, 'Priscilla,' is getting rave reviews on all fronts ... but it's not without its controversy. Whereas the Butler film was a glossy Wikipedia slide through the King's life -- this project focuses more on Elvis and Priscilla's relationship ... and how they came together.

It's a little messy -- Elvis courted Priscilla while she was a teen, and there's been a lot of side-eye in 2023 over it -- something the late Lisa Marie Presley protested before she died.

In any case, the film is out in theaters now ... and there's been a lot of commentary.

Elvis' estate doesn't like Coppola's characterization of the icon either, FWIW -- but Priscilla herself has been on board from day one. This whole thing is literally based on her memoir.