‘Priscilla’ star Cailee Spaeny reveals Priscilla Presley whispered ‘great performance’ after watching bombshell biopic
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Cailee Spaeny, who portrayed the titular role in ‘Priscilla’ revealed on the ‘Today’ show that Priscilla Presley whispered something to her after watching the film.
On Sunday, November 5, the ‘Today’ show welcomed the young star who also talked about not watching the movie until its premiere in Venice, Italy.
Spaeny admitted that she initially hesitated to watch 'Priscilla' due to her discomfort in witnessing herself in most frames.
However, director Sofia Coppola encouraged her to savor the moment and watch it.
While she attempted to follow Coppola's advice, her plans took an unexpected turn when she discovered that Priscilla Presley herself would be seated right beside her and her co-star Jacob Elordi, who portrayed Elvis Presley.
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What did Priscilla Presley whisper to Caliee Spaeny?
During a recent ‘Today’ episode, Hoda Kotb welcomed ‘Priscilla’ star Cailee Spaeny, who told NBC show that Priscilla Presley leaned over and whispered "great performance" as the credits began rolling after the film.
Spaeny recalled, "She said, 'That was a great performance.'" She added, "That was the first time I'd ever heard that from her."
The 25-year-old's portrayal of Priscilla Presley, capturing the period when she met her future husband at the age of 14 to their separation in her late 20s, earned her an outstanding seven-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival and the highly sought-after Volpi Cup for Best Actress.
Spaeny mentioned that she had the opportunity to meet with Priscilla Presley on multiple occasions before the commencement of filming. Their first conversation extended for approximately four hours.
Spaeny revealed that Priscilla Presley was candid and forthcoming, recounting the inside jokes she shared with the King of Rock 'n' Roll and their more private, intimate moments.
The young actress recalled, “There was one moment where she talked about how when she was there living in Memphis, they'd rent out movie theaters — it would be in the middle of the night and the town would be silent.”
She continued, "It was her and Elvis and his 'Memphis Mafia' (the singer's entourage) all together, watching films all night long, and and then she'd have to get up in the morning and go to school."
“The setting that she lived in is such a heightened world. You know, she went to high school while she was living at Graceland,” Spaeny added.
Cailee Spaeny on channeling Priscilla Presley’s role for ‘Priscilla’
Cailee Spaeny also mentioned that she didn't rely on Elvis Presley's music to immerse herself in Priscilla Presley's role. Instead, she utilized movies and music from the 1960s to contextualize the era.
She said, “Although I grew up listening to Elvis — I love Elvis' music — it was more like ... Sofia loved playing Mazzy Star's 'Fade Into You' when I walked into a scene. She just decided that was my walk-on song, which was great. Basically any moody, girly music, I was listening to."
'Priscilla' is a captivating film that delves into the intricate and often tumultuous relationship between Priscilla Presley and the iconic Elvis Presley, portrayed by Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi.
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