Riley Keough Reflects on Mother Lisa Marie Presley’s Memoir and Family Legacy

The late Lisa Marie Presley‘s memoir, “From Here to the Great Unknown,” completed posthumously by her daughter Riley Keough, was released this week, revealing intimate details of her life filled with trauma and loss. Lisa Marie, the sole offspring of music legend Elvis Presley, had requested her daughter to finish the memoir before her untimely death at age 54.

The memoir reveals the profound impact that Elvis Presley’s death in 1977, when Lisa Marie was only nine, had on her. She recounts the harrowing experience of finding her father unresponsive and recalls visiting his open casket at Graceland. These memories reveal the enduring grief Lisa Marie carried throughout her life, which, according to Keough, her mother never fully processed.

Talking to the BBC in New York, Keough shared, “It made me emotional that she was sharing it with the world because it was a story that she felt very protective of.” The actress described her own complex feelings about her grandfather, noting that his music was a painful reminder of her mother’s lingering grief.

The memoir also delves into the tragedy of Ben Keough, Lisa Marie’s son who died by suicide in 2020 at the age of 27. Lisa Marie’s intense grief following his death is poignantly captured in the memoir, with Keough reflecting on how her mother kept Ben’s body at home for two months in an attempt to grapple with her emotions.

Lisa Marie’s relationships with high-profile figures including Michael Jackson, Nicolas Cage, and Michael Lockwood are discussed. Her memoir details how her marriage to Jackson began in 1994 following a passionate, albeit tumultuous, courtship. She speaks of Jackson as both “secretive and awful,” highlighting parallels between him and her father.

Presley’s autobiographical account also mentions her brief and troubled marriage to actor Nicolas Cage, along with her move to England with her fourth husband Michael Lockwood, emphasizing her struggles with isolation and substance abuse during that period.

Despite existing rifts with her mother Priscilla Presley and financial difficulties concerning the Graceland estate, the memoir, according to Keough, offers insight into relatable themes such as “addiction, grief, love, and family dynamics.” She hopes readers will connect with the “human elements” of the narrative.

Riley Keough, an esteemed actress and director, has taken on the responsibility of her mother’s trust and the completion of her story, which aims to reveal the personal and often painful journey of one of America’s most famous families. The memoir reflects not only on the legacy of Elvis Presley but also on the personal struggles and resilience of his only daughter.