Priscilla: What does Elvis Presley’s family think of Sofia Coppola’s movie?

In 2006, she followed the fate of Marie-Antoinette. Today, Sofia Coppola looks at Priscilla Presley, Elvis’ first and only wife. The featurette, in theaters on January 3, complements Baz Luhrmann’s electric biopic as it focuses on just one decade and takes a different point of view.

Olivia DeJong’s role as Priscilla was more secondary in Elvis. She is in the foreground here, with interpretation Cailee Spaeny awarded the prize for female interpretation at the recent Venice Film Festival. In a film that doesn’t paint the most glowing portraits of the rock icon. At the risk of angering his successors?

Not Priscilla Presley. The movie is inspired “elvis and me”His memoirs were published in 1985 and he is also credited as an executive producer. “He let me adapt his book and I had him read the script to get his feedback”Sofia Coppola tells us about her involvement in the project.

“It was important that the story felt good to him and he felt comfortable with how I was going to present it. But then he gave me the space to be creative. He didn’t, he didn’t even come to the set. He met Kayleigh and talked to her, I shared stories that helped him a lot.”

It was important that the story was accurate to him and that he felt comfortable with how I was going to present it.

“He was very happy with the finished film when he saw it, he was very excited and told me that it fit well with his life.” A positive thought that we do not find at all on the side of their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.

In September 2022, four months before his sudden death on January 12, 2023, Nicolas Cage’s ex-wife (who is none other than Sofia Coppola’s cousin) spoke out against the script’s treatment of her father. “scandalously vindictive and despicable” his eyes.

“My father is nothing but a predator and a manipulator”he said in published letters variety Last November, in particular, he referred to the age difference between Elvis and Priscilla (he was 24 and she was 14 when they met), which caused a lot of talk when the memoir was published.

“As her daughter, I don’t recognize my father in this character when I read this. I don’t see my mother’s view of her father either. I only see scandalously vengeful and spiteful, and I don’t understand why.”

“I’m sorry my mom won’t see the nuance here and understand how Elvis will be portrayed when the movie comes out. I feel protective of my mom who has spent her life honoring her father’s legacy. I’m scared. She doesn’t understand the movie’s intentions or implications.

“I thought you understood the impact that would have.”He also wrote about Sofia Coppola’s family. “Why is he attacking my father and my family? (…) Finally, I would like to add Sofia. I have to explain to you that we would have to face another heavy blow in our lives.”

“That there was going to be a movie about their grandfather that would try to show him in a very, very bad light, but that would be wrong. I had to explain to him that his beloved grandmother was supporting the project. These two little girls have been through so much in the last few years, From my divorce to the horrible fight to their brother’s death.

I’m afraid my mom won’t see the nuance here and won’t understand how Elvis will be presented when the movie comes out (…) I’m afraid she won’t understand the intentions of the movie or the implications it will have

According to a source interviewed by Variety, Lisa Marie Presley opposed one version of the script. But not the final one, cut to ten pages when filming began in October 2022.

“I hope you feel differently when you see the finished film.”– answered Sofia Coppola. “And that you will understand that I care deeply, that I respect your mother, and give your father sensitivity and difficulty.”

“I try not to judge any of the characters and sympathize with each of them as much as possible.”He said about it Rolling StoneAbout the problematic aspect of Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship.

“I really appreciate his point of view, but I wonder when it comes to parents, how could anyone let this little kid live with Elvis.”

An aspect the film tactfully addresses when Priscilla Presley confirmed her support during the Venice Film Festival, recalling that she and Elvis had never had sex when she was 14 years old. As seen in the feature film released in our theaters on January 3rd.

Sofia Coppola’s comments collected by Maximilien Pierrette in Paris on December 122023 year