Sofia Coppola’s upcoming film Priscilla may be one of her best-reviewed to date but not everyone loved the idea of it. As it turns out, the daughter of its subject, Priscilla Presley, had some issues, as Lisa Marie Presley expressed her disdain with the notion of the film prior to her death in January.
According to emails sent in late 2022 (obtained by Variety), Lisa Marie Presley expressed concern over Sofia Coppola’s take on the relationship between her parents, Elvis and Priscilla Presley, even though the film is based on Priscilla’s book Elvis and Me. “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?” Priscilla Presley is actually credited as an executive producer. Our man Chris Bumbray reviewed it today and didn’t find Elvis came off as predatory.
In the emails to Coppola, Lisa Marie Presley also stated, “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.” While Presley died after suffering cardiac arrest, her words no doubt could play a role in one’s interpretation of the romance between Elvis and Priscilla (the two first met when the latter was just 14). And Lisa Marie isn’t the only one who had problems with the movie, as one official from the Presley estate itself called it “another Priscilla money grab.”
Priscilla will offer another perspective of the Elvis story, told with Baz Lurhmann’s razzle dazzle and Austin Butler’s unshakable accent last year. Butler earned praise all around for his performance as the King of Rock and Roll, although he lost the Oscar to Brendan Fraser; Cailee Spaeny, however, will have far more competition in her category this year and may have to fight harder for a Best Actress nomination. Lisa Marie Presley is also featured in the movie at young ages.
Will you see Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla regardless of Lisa Marie Presley’s thoughts on it? Let us know below.