Lisa Marie Presley slammed Coppola's ‘Priscilla’ as vindictive, before her passing
Lisa Marie Presley, who passed away earlier this year, conveyed her astonishment and dismay regarding the portrayal of her father, Elvis Presley, in Sofia Coppola's script for the upcoming film "Priscilla". In two emails exclusively obtained by Variety, the late Presley urged Coppola to reevaluate her approach to the character and pleaded with her to prevent her family from experiencing public embarrassment. These messages were sent four months before Presley's tragic death from a terminal cardiac arrest in January.
Presley's messages described the script as "startlingly vengeful and disdainful" and included heartfelt appeals to Oscar-winning director Coppola, urging her to avoid further straining her delicate relationship with her mother, Priscilla Presley, who is the subject of the film. Additionally, Lisa Marie Presley implored Coppola to spare Elvis' living grandchildren from heightened scrutiny, particularly as they were still mourning the loss of Lisa Marie Presley's son, Benjamin Keough, who tragically passed away in 2020.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "Priscilla" is a biographical film centered on Priscilla Presley, adapted from her 1985 memoir, "Elvis and Me". The movie has generated discussions and debates among critics and viewers due to its portrayal of the courtship between Elvis and Priscilla, which commenced in Germany in 1959 when Priscilla was just 14 years old and Elvis was 24.
In one of her messages sent in September of the previous year, Lisa Marie Presley expressed, "My father only comes across as a predator and manipulative. As his daughter, I don't read this and see any of my father in this character. I don't read this and see my mother's perspective of my father. I read this and see your shockingly vengeful and contemptuous perspective and I don't understand why?" These messages were sent around four hours apart.
When Lisa Marie Presley contacted Sofia Coppola, the filming for "Priscilla" had not yet begun. However, she candidly informed Coppola that she would publicly voice her opposition to the project. Notably, Priscilla Presley, who is credited as an executive producer and has been involved in the film's publicity for its release by A24, has a notable presence in the production. The movie, already considered a contender for the awards season, had its limited release on October 27 and is scheduled to expand to a wider audience today.
"I will be forced to be in a position where I will have to openly say how I feel about the film and go against you, my mother and this film publicly," Presley penned.
When queried about the exchange, Coppola's representative provided a response that echoed the sentiments she had conveyed to Presley in her response to the emails from September. This response indicated that it encapsulated the director's planned approach for her film.
"I hope that when you see the final film you will feel differently, and understand I'm taking great care in honoring your mother, while also presenting your father with sensitivity and complexity," responded Coppola.
Priscilla Presley was not readily available for immediate comment. A24, the distributor of "Priscilla" in the domestic market, and not the project's producer, opted not to provide a comment on the matter.
According to an insider closely associated with the film, the exchanges between Lisa Marie Presley and Sofia Coppola occurred on September 2, 2022, just weeks before the commencement of production for "Priscilla". The source revealed that the film put efforts to "tone down" certain elements of the book concerning the couple's courtship, which might have been considered shocking to contemporary audiences. Coppola's primary aim was to narrate a love story, with the central tension in the film revolving around Priscilla's challenges in adapting to life with a global superstar.
The source also mentioned that Lisa Marie Presley had reportedly reviewed an early draft of the script, which was subsequently reduced by about 10 pages when principal photography began on October 24, 2022.
"Priscilla" was chosen as an official selection for this year's Venice Film Festival. Its premiere received positive reviews, and Cailee Spaeny, the film's lead, was honoured with the Best Actress Award. Both critics and audiences have been particularly attentive to the age difference and power dynamics depicted between the on-screen Elvis, portrayed by "Euphoria" star Jacob Elordi, and Priscilla.
The project presents "the attrition by which psychological abuse wears partners down," wrote a critic. Social media users have alleged that Elvis engaged in "grooming" his future spouse. The majority of critics considered the movie to be consistent with Coppola's esteemed body of work, primarily depicting a young woman's existence within "a luxurious confinement," as articulated in numerous reviews. Rolling Stone interviewed with Coppola on October 24, featuring the following headline, "Is Elvis Presley a Monster in 'Priscilla'? Sofia Coppola Wants You to Judge for Yourself."
Lisa Marie Presley was skeptical about whether her mother, Priscilla, would comprehend a contemporary interpretation of her encounters, "I am worried that my mother isn't seeing the nuance here or realizing how Elvis will be perceived when this movie comes out. I feel protective over my mother who has spent her whole life elevating my father's legacy. I am worried she doesn't understand the intentions behind this film or the outcome it will have," Lisa Marie Presley wrote in her emails.
Lisa appeared to appeal to Coppola's Hollywood heritage, "I would think of all people that you would understand how this would feel," indirectly referencing Coppola's renowned family, which notably includes her father, the director of "The Godfather", Francis Ford Coppola. "Why are you coming for my Dad and my family?" The individual who had inside knowledge of Lisa Marie Presley's situation mentioned that her correspondence with Coppola was disclosed to both Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie Presley's daughter, actress Riley Keough.
Coppola has approached the topic of the age gap between Elvis and Priscilla with caution, "I try not to be judgmental of any of the characters and be as sympathetic as I can to each of them. And I'm focused on her perspective, but even with the parents, you're like, 'How can anybody let their kid go live with Elvis that young?'"
During her media appearances in Venice and subsequent interviews, Priscilla Presley emphasised that she and Elvis did not engage in sexual intimacy when she was 14. Additionally, she has expressed her fondness for the film on multiple occasions.
The emails shed light on the particular challenge that Hollywood faces when producing artistic works related to the legacies of iconic figures such as Elvis. Estates responsible for late celebrities frequently become embroiled in disagreements over adapted content. For instance, Elvis Presley Enterprises, which manages the estate and physical legacy of the "Viva Las Vegas" star at Graceland, refused to grant permission for the film "Priscilla" to utilise his music catalog.
The emails also reveal the personal stakes involved for Lisa Marie Presley, "Sofia there is one more thing I'd like to add," Presley concluded her second message to Coppola by sharing an anecdote about one of her young twins, Harper Lockwood, who received a trade announcement regarding the production of "Priscilla."
"I had to explain that we are going to have to endure another hit in our lives. There is going to be a movie about her grandfather that is going to try to make him look terribly bad but it's not true. I had to explain that her beloved grandmother is supporting it. These two little girls have been through so much in the past 7 years, enduring my divorce and horrific custody battle and then losing their brother. We've all been drowning," Lisa Marie Presley noted.
She commended the 2022 film "Elvis," directed by Baz Luhrmann, for its portrayal of Elvis Presley and said, "a break from suffering and a ray of light that hit us last year… it made them so proud and honoured to be his granddaughters. It made them feel blessed for a moment and less cursed in life. It made us all so proud because it was a true depiction of who he really was."
Presley said she just could not comprehend Coppola's "need to attempt to take my father down on the heels of such an incredible film using the excuse that you are trying to tell my mother's story but from your very dark and jaded reality."
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