What to Know About Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla Presley Biopic
Baz Lurhmann’s Oscar-nominated Elvis Presley biopic took the world by storm — but now it’s time for Priscilla Presley to shine.
After Elvis dominated the 2022 awards season, Priscilla — which is written, directed and produced by Sofia Coppola — takes a different approach to Elvis and Priscilla’s love story. Premiering in November, the film pulls inspiration from Priscilla’s memoir Elvis and Me, which recounts the twosome’s — at times tumultuous — relationship from her young perspective.
“When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend,” the official synopsis from A24 reads. “Through Priscilla’s eyes, Sofia Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla’s long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland, in this deeply felt and ravishingly detailed portrait of love, fantasy, and fame.”
Coppola — who is best known for her Academy Award-nominated direction for films like Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides, and Marie Antoinette — chose to tell the story after reading Priscilla’s memoir and connecting with its material.
“I was struck by how much I connected with it emotionally. I thought it was just going to be a fun adventure, and I was surprised by how relatable her story was,” she told The Hollywood Reporter in August. “And I always like themes about finding one’s identity and teenage girls growing into adulthood.” Sofia added that coming of age in the shadow of a public figure — her father is Francis Ford Coppola — also felt relatable to her own experience. “I know from my family what it’s like to be inside a show business family. I know that growing up, people are looking at you in a different way.” she shared.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about the Priscilla biopic:
When Does ‘Priscilla’ Premiere?
While the biopic was initially set to hit theaters in October, it was pushed back to a November 3 release.
Who Is in the ‘Priscilla’ Cast?
Cailee Spaeny plays the lead role of young Priscilla Presley in the film, while Jacob Elordi portrays Elvis Presley. The movie also stars Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll as Elvis’ bodyguard and close friend Alan “Hog Ears” Fortas, Emily Mitchell as Priscilla and Elvis’ daughter Lisa Marie Presley, Jorja Cadence as Elvis’ cousin Patsy Presley, Tim Post as Elvis’ dad, Vernon Presley, and Luke Humphrey as Terry West.
Everything Priscilla Presley Has Said About Her Marriage to Elvis
Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images Priscilla Presley’s marriage to the late Elvis Presley has made headlines throughout the years — especially when it comes to their significant age gap. Priscilla met Elvis in Germany when he was on a tour of duty for the United States Army. The two instantly had a connection, but Priscilla’s family was wary […]
What Is the Plot of ‘Priscilla’?
Based on Priscilla’s 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me, the movie depicts the relationship and eventual marriage between Priscilla and Elvis, who met when she was only 14 years old. During an October 2022 interview with Vogue, Coppola revealed that Elvis’ presence will be almost that of a side character — with his career having little to do with the story — as the film will focus more on Priscilla’s perspective.
“I’ve had her memoir for years and remember reading it a long time ago. A friend of mine was talking about her recently, and we got around to discussing the book. I read it again and was really moved by her story,” she told the outlet. “I was supposed to start this big Edith Wharton project that was gonna take five months to shoot and felt really daunting. I came up against a few hurdles, so I just decided to pivot to making one film with one idea.”
She continued: “I was just so interested in Priscilla’s story and her perspective on what it all felt like to grow up as a teenager in Graceland. She was going through all the stages of young womanhood in such an amplified world — kinda similar to Marie Antoinette.”
Is There a Trailer for ‘Priscilla’?
The movie’s first teaser — which was released in October and is only 45 seconds in length — highlights the beginning of Priscilla and Elvis’ courtship, while also giving glimpses into their marriage, pregnancy and eventual marital problems.
While less than one minute long, the trailer proves the film won’t shy away from the pair’s controversial age difference and underlying issues. In one clip, Elvis can be seen telling Priscilla to dye her hair and put on more makeup so she’ll look older. “I don’t know if I like it,” she says after making the changes. “What do you mean you don’t like it?” he snaps back.
How Does Priscilla Presley Feel About the Film?
After seeing the film during its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September, Priscilla told the audience, “It’s very difficult to watch a film about you and about your life and about your love. But Sofia did an amazing job. She did her homework. And I really put everything out for her that I could.”
During an October interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Priscilla noted that she tried to “separate” herself while watching the movie “as if I was just a fan or just someone that’s wanting to see the movie.”
Elvis Presley, Priscilla Presley's Relationship Timeline: The Way They Were
She just couldn’t help falling in love with him! Though Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley’s marriage only lasted six years, the pair had a connection unlike any other. “I was never that confident. I mean, here he was — the most sexiest, the most gorgeous human being, truly,” Priscilla recalled of their romance during a […]
“At the end, I actually, I was quite emotional,” she told the outlet. “Only being 14. You look back and you go, ‘Why me? Why am I here? Why am I driving in a limo, going through the gates of Graceland with Elvis?’ ”
