Sofia Coppola’s Venice Film Festival entry “Priscilla” has been an emotional ride for Priscilla Presley.
The movie, which explores the early relationship between a 14-year-old Priscilla Presley (portrayed by Cailee Spaeny) and 24-year-old Elvis Presley (portrayed by Jacob Elordi), debuted in Venice Monday. The A24 film is expected to hit theaters on Oct. 27.
“It’s very difficult to sit and watch a film about you, about your life, about your love,” Priscilla Presley said before emotionally tearing up, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. “Sofia did an amazing job. She did her homework, we spoke a couple of times and I really put everything out for her that I could.”
The 78-year-old matriarch, who was seated in the audience during a news conference for the movie, added: “It was very difficult for my parents to understand that Elvis would be so interested in me and why. And I really do think because I was more of a listener. Elvis would pour his heart out to me in every way in Germany: his fears, his hopes, the loss of his mother — which he never, ever got over. And I was the person who really, really sat there to listen and to comfort him. That was really our connection.”
Priscilla Presley insisted despite their age gap that her relationship with the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was rooted in mutual respect. “Even though I was 14, I was actually a little bit older in life — not in numbers,” she said. “That was the attraction. People think, ‘Oh, it was sex.’ No, it wasn’t. I never had sex with him. He was very kind, very soft, very loving, but he also respected the fact I was only 14 years old. We were more in line in thought, and that was our relationship.”
