Elvis Presley’s Granddaughter Reflects On The Family Trauma In ‘Elvis’

The iconic rockstar Elvis Presley‘s 2022 film ‘Elvis,’ set to premiere in Cannes on May 25, was already shown to Presley’s family. His granddaughter Riley Keough recently talked about how she felt when she watched it.

Elvis Presley, also known as the King of Rock and Roll, is one of the biggest names in rock and roll and has been an icon to most singers and performers that came after him. Thus, it didn’t take long to see a biopic about the musician, like many other notable acts. Austin Butler portrayed Elvis Presley in his most recent film, which depicts the icon’s life and career.

The performer had a distinctive style with attractive dance moves, lyrics, and a wide range of vocals. After rocking three decades in a row, the musicians suddenly passed away from heart-related problems, allegedly due to drugs, at 42. His legacy never died, and even though almost half a century passed after his death, other musicians and performers continue to honor him.

His recent depiction was made by the director Baz Luhrmann starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks. The film will premiere on May 25, but Presley’s family and his granddaughter Riley Keough have already seen the movie. Keough revealed in a recent interview that she cried the moment the film started. Moreover, she stated that the movie showed a lot of family trauma, but respectfully rather than aggressively.

Keough’s comments on the movie follow:

“It was a very emotional experience. It’s very intense to watch when it’s your family. The first movie I ever watched in the theater and said I wanted to make movies was ‘Moulin Rouge,’ I was 12. It was a real honor to know Baz was doing this movie. ‘Romeo + Juliet’ and ‘Moulin Rouge,’ for the age I was at the time, were really powerful. It wasn’t like I distrusted Baz, but you’re protective over your family. In the first five minutes, I could feel how much work Baz and Austin put into trying to get it right.

That made me emotional immediately. I started crying five minutes in and didn’t stop. There’s a lot of family trauma and generational trauma that started around then for our family. I felt honored they worked so hard to get his essence, to feel his essence. Austin captured that so beautifully. It’s a little too close. It’s intense enough to watch. I don’t want to act in it. It was never a conversation. I think there was a boundary there that felt respected in a nice way.”

You can watch the movie trailer below.