Lisa Marie Presley now: She’s offered advice on the Elvis biopic

Lisa Marie Lockwood was nine years old when her dad, Elvis Presley, passed away. On the day he was found dead, Lisa revealed that she felt something was off. Lisa said (per Express):

“I knew something was wrong because I was in my room which was right next to his bathroom. So I knew that something was very wrong. All the commotion and everything. I was a wreck.”

Marie was the only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley and consequently the sole heir to Elvis’ estate. Lisa has a music career, and though she hasn’t hit her father’s heights, her three albums have performed well on the charts. 

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Lisa married her ex-husband Michael Lockwood in 2006. The couple welcomed two children, Harper Vivienne Ann and Finley Aaron Love, before Marie filed for divorce in 2016. 

The couple finalized their divorce in 2016, though they continue to squabble over issues including child support, finances, lawyers’ costs, and alleged misappropriation of property. 

Lisa and Michael share joint custody of the twins: Lockwood has supervised visits, and Presley has physical custody. In July 2020, Michael sought primary custody of the girls, alleging that Lisa would potentially relapse following the death of her 27-year-old son Benjamin. 

Marie had kept her addiction private, but the divorce proceedings exposed details of her sobriety battle. In the foreword of Harry Nelson’s book, The United States of Opioids: A Prescription for Liberating a Nation in Pain, Lisa wrote that her kids inspired her to stay sober:

“[I’m] grateful to be alive today… and to have four beautiful children who have given me a sense of purpose that has carried me through dark times.”

Lisa was previously married to actor Nicholas Cage, singer Michael Jackson, and musician Danny Keough.

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Marie’s son Benjamin Keough had an uncanny resemblance to Elvis Presley. “Been does look so much like Elvis,” she once told CMT. “Sometimes, I am overwhelmed when I look at him.”

In July 2020, Benjamin shot himself while at a party for his girlfriend and brother-in-law. “She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated,” a rep for Lisa Marie said. “But trying to stay strong for her 11-year-old twins and her oldest daughter Riley.”

In October 2020, Lisa shared a heartfelt tribute to Benjamin on his birthday. She wrote on Instagram that her heart and soul went with him. She added:

“The depth of the pain is suffocating and bottomless without you every moment of every day. I will never be the same. Please wait for me my love, and hold my hand while I stay to continue to protect and raise your little sisters and to be here for Riley. I know you would want that.”

Marie spends a lot of time with her three daughters. “Like every day, I couldn’t have made it through without these three by my side,” she captioned a February 2021 post. 

In December 2021, the family visited Graceland, Elvis’ palatial residence in Memphis. The house is a tourist attraction, though some of the areas of the house are closed off. 

Lisa owns the house and has full access to it. She often brings her family over during the holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Christmas was a special time in the year for Elvis and his family, especially after Lisa’s birth. Being the only child made Lisa the center of attention and the recipient of many gifts. Angie Marchese, Director of Archives at Graceland, described the holiday atmosphere in the mansion:

“Christmas at Graceland for Lisa is always a very special time of the year. In fact, today she still brings her family here to celebrate the holidays. Graceland is a very special place not only for fans but also for Lisa. It’s home to her. The family…do not stay here at Graceland but they do come here and visit.”

Per Express, Lisa Marie has some worries about the upcoming Elvis biopic. “With today’s climate, Lisa Marie is concerned Luhrmann will exploit that relationship, and there’ll be a huge backlash against her dad,” a source said. 

The source added that Lisa has tried to convince her mother Priscilla to limit the information she offers to the filmmakers: “Lisa Marie has been trying to have Priscilla really consider how much private information she gives, but it’s been a one-way conversation.”

Priscilla’s already written about her time with Elvis, but she likely left out details that could appear in the film. She told Us Weekly that she’s talked to director Baz Luhrmann about the film:

“I have been involved with Baz. He has come to my home and he has been emailing me. In fact, we’re going to be having another lunch at my home. He’s keeping me on top of everything. It’s been wonderful. He is a genius. I’m not getting involved with any kind of telling him what to do or how to do it or suggestions.”

Meanwhile, Lisa keeps giving snippets of her life today. According to Express, Lisa lamented having a graveyard in the backyard of the Graceland residence. Elvis, his father Vernon, mother Gladys, grandmother Minnie Mae, and grandson Benjamin are interred there. 

“The back lawn of Graceland is a graveyard, basically,” Lisa said, per Express. “How many people have a family grave in the backyard? How many people are reminded of their fate, their mortality, every day?”

Lisa said that there is a spot for her next to her grandmother. “I don’t plan on anything. I’m sure I’ll end up there,” she said. “Or I’ll shrink my head and put it in a glass box in the living room. I’ll get more tourists to Graceland that way.”