Riley Keough on “Special and Overwhelming” Journey of Supporting ‘Elvis’ With the Presley Family

In early May, ahead of the film’s splashy premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis received an endorsement of the highest order when Priscilla Presley took to social media to share her reaction upon seeing it.

“Beautifully done,” posted Priscilla, praising Luhrmann; Austin Butler, who toplines as the King; Tom Hanks as his manager, Col. Tom Parker; and Olivia DeJonge, who stars as Priscilla. “It took me a few days to overcome the emotions as it did with Lisa [Marie Presley].”

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Since the post, the Presley family has come out in full force to support the release of the Warner Bros. film by attending the Cannes screening, turning up at the Graceland premiere, appearing on Good Morning America and even outside the TCL Chinese Theatre to stamp their handprints in cement. Priscilla, who was married to Elvis Presley from 1967 to 1972, has been joined by their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, and granddaughter Riley Keough, and Lisa Marie’s twins, Harper and Finley.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

The day after the ceremony, Keough stepped out for the world premiere of The Terminal List, the Prime Video TV series that casts her opposite Chris Pratt. On the red carpet, she told The Hollywood Reporter that the experience of supporting Elvis has been “amazing,” in part because they’ve been able to do it as a family.

“I do press and all of these things, but I always do it alone,” explained Keough, who coincidentally shares a publicist with Butler. “To be able to have these experiences with my mom, my grandmother and my sisters has been really emotional, special and overwhelming for all of us.”

Asked how the decision was made to endorse the film and participate in press and promotion for it, Keough said it was quite simple. “We saw the movie and thought, ‘How can we not?’ We saw the love that Austin and [Baz] put into it and how much they’ve honored the legacy, and we couldn’t not get behind it.”

Elvis is currently in theaters. The Terminal List debuts on Amazon’s Prime Video on July 1.

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