admin “I thought Priscilla’s story encapsulated something we all go through, but in such a heightened, glamorous way,” Coppola told Vogue on the day of the film’s theatrical release. “I really wanted to capture how overwhelming that first brush with love is and how confusing it can be trying to understand a man who’s so hot and cold.”
In some ways, Priscilla feels like a spiritual sequel to Marie Antoinette. It’s a visual and aural feast, featuring pitch-perfect recreations of ’60s Memphis locations and fashions that will undoubtedly inspire you to search “how to apply winged liner” as you leave the theater. The film’s opening alone is quintessential Coppola, showing Priscilla applying her iconic cat-eye and a can’s worth of Aqua Net to her sky-high bouffant while The Ramones’ 1980 cover of “Baby, I Love You” plays. And yet the film never feels like Coppola repeating herself or self-indulging; instead, she seems merely to be commanding the skill set she’s honed since The Virgin Suicides, her lush 1999 debut about a different form of suppressed femininity.
With Priscilla now playing across the country, Coppola spoke to Vogue about recreating Graceland in Toronto, finding the right actors to bring pop culture icons to life, and showing the film to Priscilla Presley herself for the first time.
Vogue: Happy release day, Sofia! How are you feeling with Priscilla out in the world?
Sofia Coppola: I can’t believe it—it always feels surreal when something you’ve been working on for so long comes out. I feel like I was just talking to you when we started production a year ago. I was fretting so much over how we were gonna get the schedule under control and make the movie I wanted to make, so I can’t believe it’s finally here.
Do you have any way you celebrate whenever you release a new film?
My agent and I love to drive around to different theaters on the first night and see how different audiences are reacting. I’m doing some Q&As at the Angelika (in NYC) tonight, but I hope I see some Priscillas over Hallo-weekend.
You said in one of our past interviews that whatever film you’re working on is usually a reaction to the last one you made. In what ways would you say Priscilla was born out of your experience making On the Rocks (2020)?
