Priscilla, an American biopic starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, is now trending on Netflix. After landing on the streamer last Friday (3 October), the 60s-set drama has already become the third most-watched movie in the UK.
Written, directed and produced by Sofia Coppola, Priscilla is based on Elvis and Me, the 1985 memoir penned by Priscilla Presley – who served as an executive producer on the film – and Sandra Harmon.
Tracing the tumultuous romance between Priscilla Beaulieu and rock and roll legend Elvis Presley, the film recalls their relationship of 13 years, exploring the highs and lows of their early courtship, marriage and divorce.
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Leading the cast, Spaeny and Elordi portray Priscilla and Elvis through the years. Meanwhile, Ari Cohen, Dagmara Domińczyk, Lynne Griffin and Dan Beirne appear in supporting roles.
Lauded as a “remarkable” biopic (via The Australian), Priscilla holds a Certified Fresh score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Positively received by critics, The Atlantic raved: “Melancholy young women searching for escape are one of Coppola’s favourite subjects, and Priscilla may be her most haunting endeavour thus far.”
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“Priscilla, though told from its title character’s point of view, doesn’t pass judgment on Elvis. Instead, Coppola tells the story through lush mood, meticulous art direction, swimmy music (not Presley’s), and her two actors’ gloriously big-screen faces,” added The Seattle Times.
Meanwhile, Vulture wrote: “Priscilla is an uncomfortable and thoroughly engaging watch, one that is most interesting in the context of Coppola’s filmography.”
Following Priscilla’s release in 2023, Spaeny told Digital Spy that her main concern was telling a story that the real Priscilla Presley could “identify” with.
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“Growing up a huge Elvis fan, this is like American royalty, and knowing Priscilla was going to see the movie at the end, I really wanted her to identify with the story that we told,” the actor explained.
“At the end of the day, we’re dealing with real people. She was more important to take care of than the movie. Obviously, I wanted the movie to work out, but I just wanted her to feel that this was in safe hands.”
Revealing that Presley was “very moved” by the film, Spaeny noted: “She took me aside and said: ‘I watched my life through you’. At the end of the day, that’s all I wanted, for her to feel safe.”
Priscilla is currently available to stream on Netflix in the UK.
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Megan is a freelance news reporter for Digital Spy.Â