Lisa Marie Presley voiced her concerns to Sofia Coppola regarding the script for her latest film, Priscilla, expressing her belief that it was excessively critical and portrayed Elvis Presley as a negative character. Lisa Marie Presley, who tragically passed away in January, conveyed her apprehensions to the renowned director in two emails, urging her to reconsider the portrayal of her father in the film, and raising concerns about its potential impact on her relationship with Priscilla Presley, the central figure in the movie.
Presley stated in one of the two emails, sent in September 2022, four hours apart, “From my perspective, my father is depicted solely as a predator and manipulator. As his daughter, I find no resemblance to my father in this portrayal. I don’t see my mother’s viewpoint of my father in this depiction. Instead, it appears to reflect a remarkably vengeful and critical perspective, which leaves me perplexed.” She went on to express her potential willingness to publicly share her feelings about the film, which could lead to a rift between herself, her mother, and the project.
In contrast, Lisa Marie Presley praised Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 biopic, “Elvis,” as a refreshing and positive portrayal and questioned the need for Coppola to tarnish her father’s image shortly after the success of such an exceptional film. She pointed out that the pretext of telling her mother’s story from a dark and bitter perspective seemed unwarranted.
She further expressed concerns about her mother’s perception and the public’s view of Elvis when the movie was released. Presley felt the need to protect her mother, who has dedicated her life to preserving her father’s legacy, and she worried that her mother might not fully grasp the film’s intentions or its potential consequences.
Presley also mentioned discussing the film with one of her children, who had inquired about it after seeing an announcement. She had to explain that the family would have to endure another potentially damaging portrayal of her grandfather, despite it not being accurate. She clarified that her beloved grandmother, Priscilla, supported the film. The family had already been through significant challenges in recent years, including her divorce, a difficult custody battle, and the loss of a family member.
Lisa Marie Presley’s passing was attributed to complications arising from bariatric surgery she had undergone several years earlier.
“Priscilla” received recognition as an official selection at the Venice Film Festival and garnered positive reviews from critics, particularly praising Cailee Spaeny’s portrayal of Priscilla and Australian actor Jacob Elordi in the role of Elvis, known for his work in “Euphoria.”
Priscilla Presley acknowledged the difficulty of watching a film about her own life and love but commended Sofia Coppola’s dedication and thorough research, expressing her love for the final product. She emphasized the effort she put into helping with the project.
Variety reported that Lisa Marie Presley’s comments were based on an earlier version of the script, which had been subsequently revised, cutting ten pages from the screenplay.
When asked for a response to the emails by Variety, a representative for Sofia Coppola shared the director’s reply to Presley. In the response, Coppola expressed the hope that the final film would provide a different perspective, emphasizing her commitment to honoring Priscilla and portraying Elvis with sensitivity and depth.
Summary
In the blog, we delve into the controversy surrounding the script of Sofia Coppola’s latest film, “Priscilla,” as raised by Lisa Marie Presley. Lisa Marie expressed her concerns about the script, describing it as “shockingly vengeful and contemptuous” and accusing it of depicting her father, Elvis Presley, as a predator.
Through a series of emails obtained by Variety, Lisa Marie Presley shared her distress with the director, Sofia Coppola, emphasizing the need to reconsider the portrayal of her father. She also voiced worries about the potential strain the film might put on her relationship with her mother, Priscilla Presley, who is the central figure in the film.
Presley’s emails highlight her perspective that the script didn’t capture her father accurately and appeared to reflect Coppola’s personal biases. She praised Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 biopic, “Elvis,” as a more positive portrayal of her father and questioned the need to tarnish his image.
Lisa Marie Presley also expressed concern about her mother’s understanding of the film’s intentions and its potential impact on Elvis’s legacy and the family’s image. She described a conversation with one of her children, who had learned about the film, and how she had to clarify the situation, given the potential negative portrayal of their grandfather.
Read more: https://truereviewmagazine.com/
