Sofia Coppola’s dreamy aesthetic is back on the big screen with her newest masterpiece, Priscilla. The Priscilla Presley biopic follows hot on the heels of Baz Lurhmann’s award-winning Elvis – but this time, the rock and roll legend takes the backseat.
Nostalgic and ethereal, Sofia’s signature style certainly cements itself as key in the teaser trailer. In the trailer, Priscilla sets itself up as a tender portrait of the star’s journey from schoolgirl to superstar spouse - winged eyeliner and all.
Check out the Priscilla trailer here:
Adapting Priscilla’s 1985 biography, Elvis and Me, Sofia tells the story of how a 14-year-old girl living on an army base in West Germany found herself in love with the king of Rock and Roll. The movie even spurred the director to join Instagram, where she signed some behind-the-scenes snippets of her time on set.
The movie is already proving a hit. Priscilla landed itself a seven-minute standing ovation when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, as well as receiving rave reviews from film critics.
So, ahead of it’s UK release, here’s everything you need to know about Priscilla.
What is the Priscilla biopic about?
The film explores Priscilla’s journey from young bride to lonely wife – going into exactly what it means to be married to the King of Rock and Roll.
The story focuses on Priscilla, who met Elvis as a young teen. The rockstar – who was a decade older than the teen – managed to convince Priscilla’s parents to let her live with him at his Graceland mansion. The pair later married when Priscilla turned 21, going on to welcome their daughter Lisa-Marie.
The synopsis reads, ‘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.’
‘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.’
Who is on the cast of Priscilla?
Mare of Easttown’s Cailee Spaeny appears as the title role of Priscilla, with Elvis being porytrayed by Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi.
Opening up about the casting of Elvis, Sofia previously revealed how it was a quick coffee meeting that set her sights on the Euphoria heartthrob. ‘All the girls in the room just turned to him, they gravitated,’ she revealed, adding ‘I just felt like, yeah, he has that charisma that I imagine Elvis had.’
It’s also thought that Cailee could be in for some Academy Awards once the film is released, having already won Best Actress in Venice. Sofia previously shared that she was drawn to the young actor’s ‘softness and vulnerability.’ Together, Jacob and Cailee make the perfect onscreen representation of Elvis and Priscilla - with their heights even matching up almost perfectly...
Read Sofia Coppola's quotes about Priscilla
From The Virgin Suicides to Marie Antionette, Sofia Coppola has long been hailed for her work – exploring stories about women from the angles that are so often overlooked. The star not only directed the film, but also was the screenwriter, meaning she’s had complete control over the direction of Priscilla.
'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 – kind of similar to Marie Antionette,' she said.
As for achieveing the signature sepia-toned aura of the 60s, she shared ‘I’m excited to do something rooted in that American style for the first time. And Priscilla is a quintessential glamour icon. I love that she was always done up.’
How true to real life is Sofia Coppola's Priscilla?
The film promises to remain true to Priscilla and Elvis’ story – tackling some of the more uncomfortable aspects of their relationship that weren’t necessarily highlighted in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.
The movie is based on Priscilla’s book Elvis and Me, in which the star didn’t shy away from some of her difficult experiences with her husband. Although the two were often presented as the image of perfect romance, it was a different story behind closed doors. In the pages of her biography, the star recalled how the singer gave her highly addictive prescription drugs, and would knock her out for days when she complained of insomnia.
Priscilla also detailed in the book how the pair became distant soon after marrying in 1967, being forced to deal with Elvis’ demands and mood swings – all of which are expected to be detailed in the film.
What was the budget of Priscilla?
It may be set to rake in the big bucks, but Sofia has since opened up about how the budget was so ‘strained’ that she considered raffling off her leading man for extra money.
The film, produced by A24, had such a low budget that Sofia revealed she considered a raffle to raise money, offering a game of pickleball with Jacob Elordi as the main prize to help fund just one more day of shooting.
Priscilla had ‘less than $20 million’ and no music rights, proving a stark contrasts to Luhrmann’s $85 million budget for Elvis.
What have Priscilla Presley and Elvis' estate said about Coppola's film?
It’s well known that Priscilla Presley was highly involved in Elvis last year – and the star also gave her seal of approval on Coppola’s creation. She was spotted at the film’s Venice premiere, wiping away tears as the credits rolled. Praising Sofia in the press conference after, she shared, ‘Sofia did an amazing job.’
Addressing some of the film’s more controversial moments – including the age gap – Priscilla shared, ‘I was the person who really, really sat there to listen and to comfort him. That was really our connection, even though I was 14… I was older in life than in numbers.’
‘People think that [the attraction] was sex. Not at all. I never had sex with him [when I was underage]. He was very kind, very soft, very loving, but he also respected the fact I was only 14 years old. We were more in mind and thought.’
On the contrary, Elvis’ estate didn’t take the biopic quite as well. It was reported that the estate was unhappy with the Coppola's portrayal of Elvis – who died in 1977 after years of prescription drug abuse and unhealthy eating habits – branding it ‘horrible’ after it was made without their knowledge or consent.
Elvis Presley Enterprises also turned down requests to include the singer’s own music in the film, with Sofia saying ‘They don’t like projects that they haven’t originated, and they’re protective of their brand. But that made us be more creative.’
Is Priscilla connected to Baz Lurhmann's Elvis?
Whilst many worried whether the film was coming too soon after the success of Elvis, Sofia revealed that she wasn’t worried about how Priscilla will stand. ‘Priscilla is the real focus [of our film],’ she told Vogue, adding ‘There are some aspects of Elvis’s career included but it all sort of plays out in the background of their relationship and her developing identity. I loved how Baz [Luhrmann] approached his story in a very collage-y way, but I’m glad it didn’t go into much of Priscilla’s story because now I can really dive deep.’
But whilst the two films are as separate as can be, there is one connection between them – their leading men. Luhrmann cast Austin Butler as Elvis in his movie, whilst Coppola chose the charistmatic Jacob Elordi.
The two men do share an interesting connection, with Austin currently dating Jacob’s ex girlfriend, model Kaia Gerber.
When is Priscilla out in the UK?
Priscilla is set to be released in the UK on 1st January, after is US release on 27th October.