Priscilla Presley may be the former wife of the King of Rock ‘n Roll, but Sofia Coppola is the daughter of the Godfather of Cinema.
Coppola, who wrote and directed “Priscilla” based on Presley’s 1985 memoir “Elvis and Me,” told The Hollywood Reporter that she could relate to Presley’s story of living in someone else’s shadow. Coppola is, of course, the daughter of Oscar winner Francis Ford Coppola.
“Oh, it would be a juicy, glamorous story,” Coppola said of reading Presley’s memoir. “But then 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.”
The “Virgin Suicides” director continued, “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. And also living in a house with my dad, this big personality, a great artist and a lot of our life revolving around that. And seeing my mom’s life, how she was trying to find her way within his, I could relate to that.”
Presley addressed the common ground felt between her and Coppola, saying, “I just got who she was and I felt that she could get me. I thought, we have different stories, but she could understand this better than any writer because she kind of lived it in her own way.”
The film, which stars Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla and Jacob Elordi as Elvis, is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival before screening as the Centerpiece selection at the New York Film Festival.
“When I saw the movie, I tried to separate myself and live it as if I was just a fan or just someone that’s wanting to see the movie,” Presley said. “At the end, I actually, I was quite emotional. Only being 14 [the age Presley was when she met Elvis]. 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?’”
Coppola previously addressed growing up inside her own version of Graceland, with her early memories being on the set of “Apocalypse Now” and having a small role in “The Godfather Part III.” Coppola told The Guardian in 2017 that she is “proud” to be the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola.
“I learned to have balls from him, and integrity,” Coppola said. “But I have a body of work now, and it has its own identity. He’s a great master, but I’m happy to carve out my own way of working.”
For all the details on “Priscilla,” click here.
