Priscilla Presley ‘nervous’ about Elvis biopic, series
Following a two-year absence, Priscilla Presley made her return to Elvis Week on Tuesday. Presley was the headline guest for a wide-ranging 40minute public interview, where she discussed both the history of Graceland and commented on a pair of forthcoming projects: the Baz Luhrmann-directed biopic “Elvis”, and an animated series from Netflix, called “Agent King.”
Presley appeared as part of a “Conversations on Elvis” program held at Graceland on the final day of Elvis Week festivities. Hosted by Tom Brown, the event also included interviews with Elvis guitarist and TCB Band member James Burton, friend Bill Morris, and former girlfriend Dixie Locke Emmons.
Priscilla Presley opened the interview by noting she’d missed the last two Elvis Weeks due to personal obligations, including caring for her mother, Anna Lillian Iversen, who died Aug. 2 at the age of 95.
“And thank you to everyone who has offered their condolences,” Presley said of the outpouring she’d received from fans in Memphis. “It’s beautiful, especially when I see all these beautiful people here.”
Brown asked Presley about the historic decision to open up Graceland to the public in 1982, when it appeared the family might have to sell the estate.
“The attorneys said we have to sell, but in my mind I said that’s not going to happen,” said Presley. “That’s just not going to happen. I have to save it somehow.”
Presley noted that she searched for someone to partner with and help turn Graceland into a public attraction, and at one point consulted with Peter Ueberroth – the former Major League Baseball commissioner who also brought the Olympics to Los Angeles in 1984 – during the process.
Eventually, though a mutual friend, she connected with businessman Jack Soden, who would become president and CEO of Elvis Presley Enterprises and help make Graceland a reality. “That’s the best decision I ever made,” noted Presley. “Jack Soden has been the heart and soul [of Graceland].”
Presley sounded a more cautious note when discussing a pair of upcoming film and television projects involving Elvis.
The feature film “Elvis,” directed by Baz Luhrmann (“Moulin Rouge!” “The Great Gatsby”) and starring Tom Hanks as Elvis manager Col. Tom Parker, finished shooting in Australia last year, and is being readied for an expected June 2022 release.
Priscilla Presley noted she had met with both Hanks (“Tom was great. I stayed talking at his house for four or five hours”) and Luhrmann.
Interestingly, she added that Luhrmann had promised to send her a script of the film, but that she had not received it. “Which makes me nervous,” said Presley. “I don’t know what he’s planning on doing…he does come out with great films. I just don’t know what direction he’s going to take it in.”
She added, jokingly, that “if it’s good then I had everything to do with it, and if it’s not, I didn’t.”
Presley discussed the difficulty with being involved in such projects – torn between wanting to protect Presley’s image and legacy without impeding on the creative process.
In this context, she mentioned “Agent King,” a newly announced animated series that’s set to air on Netflix. Co-produced by Presley and musician John Eddie, it’s being described as a comedy-fantasy where “Elvis trades in his jumpsuit for a jetpack when he joins a secret government spy program to help battle the dark forces that threaten the country.”
“It’s an adult animation. Sometimes a script comes in and I say, ‘Elvis would never say that,’” said Presley. “It’s those little things… I have to give slack on some areas and be really protective on others. I’m constantly having them do redo things.”
Presley added that the show would have been dream come true for Elvis. “It’s giving him what he always wanted: to be a secret agent.”
Brown noted 2021 Elvis Week saw a large contingent of new fans and firsttime visitors to Graceland. Presley predicted an even bigger turnout for 2022, which will mark the 45th anniversary of Elvis’ passing.
“I’m in awe that we have come this far and what we’ve done. We keep getting new people interested. It’s gratifying to see the new faces, as well as the older faces. It’s like one big family,” Presley said.
“Elvis has brought so many people together. He was so caring, so considerate, sensitive, of course – it’s like the fans are like him…because they’ve been gracious, loyal, brought their families and keep coming back. It really is like one big huge family.”