Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Culture > Entertainment

Priscilla: the icon through Sofia Coppola’s lens

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter.

Priscilla Presley, the icon with a controversial life, has come back to girls’ pinterest boards after the release of the biopic directed by Baz Lurhmann, Elvis, Olivia Dejonge and her impression of Priscilla catched a lot of attention, and the internet was reached with complaints about how little we saw of Elvis muse in the movie. Well, Sofia Coppola has come to save all of the girls , as she usually does. The film about Priscilla will be released on December 26 (In the US the movie will come out on November 3rd). 

What do we know about the film?

The film is based on Priscilla’s 1985 memoir, Elvis & Me and will guide us through her late teenage years till she is 27 years old.  “…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.” reads the official synopsis from A24 , production company behind the movie. The main role belongs to Cailee Spaeny while the King is portrayed by the Euphoria’s star, Jacob Elordi

How does Priscilla feel about the movie?

From Priscilla’s point of view, 2023 is not being an easy year. With the death of Lisa Marie, her daughter, in January and the lawsuit with her granddaughters, the last thing she is looking forward to is a controversy. The movie has her approval. Not only her approval but her support.

Priscilla herself attended the films Venice premiere and was seen wiping tears when the credits rolled. At a press conference, she said that Sofia has done an amazing job. The filmmaker made it very clear how grateful she feels to be able to talk to Priscilla and have her support, Coppola’s already made movies about real women, but they weren’t alive at the time, like Marie Antoinette, so the fact that she was able to talk and know her muse to get the essence for the movie was magical.

Everybody is wondering, is it an anti Elvis movie?

Sofia wasn’t focused on making Elvis in a tight spot, she wanted to share Priscilla’s side. Elvis’ estate did not like the movie, that is the main reason why the soundtrack has none of his songs. “I remember Priscilla’s manager saying, ‘The Elvis fans are not going to like certain things,’” Sofia said in an interview with the Financial Times. “And I was like, ‘I’m not making it for them.’”

@apnewsentertainment

“There’s really the highs and lows of a really intense relationship.” Sofia Coppola examines the love affair between Priscilla and Elvis Presley in the new drama, “Priscilla.” #sofiacoppola #priscillapresley #elvispresley

♬ original sound – AP Entertainment – AP Entertainment

It is well known that Elvis was 24 and Priscilla 14 when they started their relationship, if this is not going to be a good thing to The King’s image, Coppola feels sorry. The movie is concerned only with the perspective of its young protagonist. We see Elvis only as she did, sometimes charming, loving and beautiful, but there are moments where he seems moody, lying and controlling. It is not a fantasy movie that has the good guy and the bad guy, they have moments, just like it was in real life. 

Why does it mean so much having Sofia as this movie director?

Coppola is a huge name in the cinema industry. Sofia’s father, Francis Ford Coppola is the director behind The Godfather. Her family mattered, but she made her name following her talent as a producer, screenwriter, director and fashion designer. In 2004, she was the first American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in Lost In Translation in the category of best director. 

Priscilla was neglected through the years. She was seen as an Elvis accomplishment. The director is known for her movies having iconic women in the center. Sofia is a woman, she understands us, she knows how it feels to grow up as a girl, she understands and she passes all of this unique feeling that only girls share in her movies.

Well, to summarize everything said here I’m quoting the one and only GLAMOUR, and as they said:

Based on Priscilla’s memoir, it’s the real deal – an iconic woman’s story being told by women.”

———————————————————————————-

The article above was edited by Duda Kabzas.

Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Cásper Líbero home page for more!

Malu Alcântara

Casper Libero '26

I’m Malu, a journalism student at Casper Libero, still learning the art of writing.