Before his passing, Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, expressed her dissatisfaction with the portrayal of her father in the script of Sofia Coppola’s new film “Priscilla”. In emails to the director, described by Variety magazine, Lisa asked Sofia to reconsider her vision of the Elvis character, with the aim of sparing her family from public embarrassment. The emails were sent four months before Lisa suffered a fatal cardiac arrest in January.
Lisa’s messages called the script “surprisingly vindictive and dismissive.” She asked Coppola to avoid strains in her already fragile relationship with her mother, Priscilla Presley—who is the focus of the film—and controls Elvis’ living grandchildren—she was still mourning the loss of her son Benjamin Keough, who died in 2020..
Criticism of the portrait of Elvis
“Priscilla” is a biopic based on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 autobiography, “Elvis and Me.” The film has sparked debate for the way it depicts the relationship between Elvis and Priscilla, which began in Germany in 1959, when Priscilla was 14 and Elvis was 24. “My father just appears as a predator and manipulator. Like his daughter, I see nothing of my father in this character,” Lisa wrote in one of the emails sent in September last year.
Lisa Marie Presley doubted that her mother would understand a modern translation of her experience. “I’m worried that my mother won’t grasp the nuances or realize how Elvis will be perceived when this movie comes out,” she wrote in her emails. “I feel protective of my mother, who has spent her entire life uplifting my father’s legacy. I’m worried that she doesn’t understand the intentions behind this film or the outcome it will have.”
He goes so far as to appeal to the fact that the director is the daughter of a famous director to highlight the importance of maintaining a legacy of respect in Hollywood.
“I think, of all people, you would understand what it would sound like,” he wrote, alluding to his affiliation with “The Godfather” director Francis Ford Coppola. “Why do you come to my father and my family?”
Lisa threatened to take a public stand against the film and the participation of her mother, who is credited as an executive producer. Sofia Coppola, in turn, expressed the hope that Lisa would change her opinion after seeing the final version of the film, underlining the care taken to honor Priscilla’s story, presenting Elvis with sensitivity and complexity.
Rewards and repercussions
The film “Priscilla” won the best actress trophy at the Venice Film Festival for Cailee Spaeny (“Mare of Eastown”), who plays the title character, and received very positive reviews: 90% approval for Rotten Tomatoes . But the image of Elvis, played by Jacob Elordi (“Euphoria”), did indeed suffer some damage, allowing audiences to understand the couple’s age difference and dynamics.
The premiere in Brazil is scheduled for December 26th. Watch the trailer below.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
