The world has accepted that there are a few things that are utterly out of control and too tragic to be believable. Austin Butler’s representation of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley, only brought to life a kaleidoscopic fraction of the tragedy that haunted the infamous singer. Ever since the film’s premiere, however, something shifted within the Presley family, and the King’s daughter, Lisa Marie stepped out into the world for the first time in two years.
A singer-songwriter herself, she had welcomed Austin Butler’s portrayal of her late father and it was in the course of one solitary evening that a beautiful friendship was struck between the two.
A Beautiful Friendship: Austin Butler and Lisa Marie Presley
It was only a year prior – in 2022 – that Lisa Marie Presley made her first public appearance since 2020 when the Baz Luhrmann-directed biopic, Elvis, premiered. The late singer-songwriter had been the sole child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, and was dedicated to her father’s legacy. And it was in that tone of respect that she had welcomed the actor who so beautifully portrayed the Jailhouse Rock singer, and his memory on the big screen.
Also read: “I went home in tears”: Elvis Star Austin Butler Reveals Baz Luhrmann Humiliated Him For the Role, Says Leo DiCaprio Had Warned Him Earlier
In a recent Actors Roundtable interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Austin Butler spoke about his friendship with Lisa Mare Presley:
“It hit home when I first met Lisa Marie ’cause I didn’t meet her until after the film and she hugged me with tears in her eyes, and she just said, ‘Thank you.’ And then she took me upstairs and we went into Elvis’ bedroom, and just sat on his bed and talked for hours. And that’s the thing, you see. When you realize that he’s this guy that has been either thought of as this icon, God-like figure, or people just see him as a Halloween costume, and then it dawns on him on you that he’s a father, and he’s a son, and he’s a husband. And that responsibility is so huge.”
Austin Butler’s haunting portrayal of Elvis Presley has been an impactful endeavor in a sea of recent biopic films, and stands apart from the rest in its sheer force of unflinching honesty and raw exposé narrative. Butler went on to win the 2023 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture/Drama for Elvis.
The Unbearable Tragedy of the Late Lisa Marie Presley
Also read: Baz Luhrmann Follows Zack Snyder as Elvis Director’s Cut is 4 Hours Long
The death of her son – and Elvis Presley’s grandson – Benjamin Keough, had weighed heavily on Lisa Marie Presley, and losing both a father and a son to suicide wrenched something away from her. The world witnessed as the woman sank into herself, battled against addiction and grief, and rose again, and again to speak up for those who struggled with depression. She had spoken up about her son numerous times since stepping out into the public. And yet, life had dealt too much tragedy for one person to cope with. At the age of 54, Lisa Marie Presley passed away from cardiac arrest on the 12th of January, 2023.
Lisa Marie is survived by her mother, Priscilla Presley, and her daughters, Riley Keough (The Devil All The Time), and Finley and Harper Lockwood.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
