Sofia Coppola approached Lana Del Rey to do a song for 'Priscilla' (original) (raw)
Lana Del Rey, who has long been compared to Priscilla Presley, almost soundtracked Sofia Coppola's new biopic, Priscilla.
The director has revealed that the movie's production team approached the Norman Fucking Rockwell artist to record an original song for the film. The intel came after Coppola was asked if Del Rey ever auditioned for the project — a move the singer-songwriter's fans have campaigned for.
"I'm learning that people really connect Lana Del Rey with Priscilla and I didn't realize that," Coppola told E! News. "But I got a lot of requests with, 'How is she gonna be part of the movie?' We were hoping she could do a song for it, but it didn't work out with the timing."
Coppola also noted that Del Rey has been invited to the film's premiere, but "I don't think she can come," she said. "But I'm excited for her to see it."
Lana Del Rey; Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla Presley in 'Priscilla'. Kevin Kane/Getty Images; Philippe Le Sourd/A24
Based on Priscilla Presley's 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me, the movie offers an intimate portrayal of the young Priscilla Beaulieu's (Cailee Spaeny) courtship with rock icon Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi), from their first meeting in 1959 to their eventual separation in the early 1970s. Porches, Alice Coltrane, the Ramones, and Sons of Raphael are among the soundtrack's featured artists.
In EW's latest Around the Table, Coppola and her lead stars said they received invaluable insight from Priscilla Presley herself while making the film, including memories of how she stopped to apply fake eyelashes while in labor with her daughter Lisa Marie and her late husband's love for a particular breakfast favorite.
"Priscilla told us that Elvis liked really burned bacon," Coppola said.
"I averaged like a pound of bacon a day," Elordi added. "It's not that noticeable because I'm quite long. But I was the biggest I've ever been."
Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla Presley and Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley in 'Priscilla'. A24
Though the King of Rock & Roll has been portrayed countless times on screen, including in last year's Elvis biopic from Baz Luhrmann, Priscilla shines a light on some of the lesser-known and more controversial elements of his relationship with Priscilla, such as their 10-year age gap — Priscilla met Elvis when she was 14 and he was 24.
**"**I was really surprised because I realized how little we know about her," Coppola said. "They're such a mythic, famous couple, but when I read her story, I had no idea she was going to high school while she was living in Graceland. I was really impressed with how she really reveals what their life was like, what her experience was growing up in such an over-the-top setting. I was surprised with how universal [and] relatable it was."
Priscilla is in theaters now.
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