Lisa Marie Presley’s ‘intimate’ life story would make her ‘incredibly vulnerable,’ but it is still being told

Lisa Marie Presley, the only daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, lived a life marked by both glamour and profound tragedy. While she gained fame through her relationships with iconic figures like Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage, her personal journey was fraught with loss and heartache, ultimately leading to a haunting narrative.

From a young age, Lisa Marie faced significant challenges. Her parents’ separation when she was just four years old was followed by the devastating loss of her father at age nine, a moment she vividly recalled being present for at Graceland. This early exposure to grief led her into a tumultuous phase of rebellion and self-destruction, as she later described in a 2003 *Rolling Stone* interview. She reflected on the lifelong impact of her experiences, saying, “I’ve dealt with death, grief and loss since the age of 9 years old… It’s a real choice to keep going, one that I have to make every single day.”

Lisa Marie’s attempts to lead a normal life were continuously thwarted by the public’s fascination with her family legacy. Despite her efforts to keep a low profile, she found herself drawn back to the music world, inheriting the pressure of being Elvis’s daughter while trying to carve out her own identity. Her musical career faced numerous setbacks, including a battle with opioid addiction stemming from painkillers prescribed after childbirth, and her turbulent personal life, marked by a messy fourth divorce and financial struggles that left Elvis Presley Enterprises in significant debt.

The most profound tragedy struck with the death of her son, Benjamin Keough, who died by suicide at 27. This loss weighed heavily on Lisa Marie, dampening her enthusiasm for music and leading to her withdrawal from the public eye. Her last notable appearance was at the Golden Globes on January 10, 2023, where she supported Baz Luhrmann’s *Elvis*.

Lisa Marie’s life came to an abrupt end on January 12, 2023, when she suffered cardiac arrest, a complication related to past bariatric surgery. At the time of her death, she was working on her memoir, *From Here to the Great Unknown*, with her daughter Riley Keough. Tragically, Riley would take on the task of completing the book after Lisa Marie’s sudden passing at the age of 54.

Riley successfully published the memoir in October 2024, which received significant attention, including being selected by Oprah Winfrey for her book club. Though Riley acknowledged that her mother would have felt vulnerable about the book’s revelations, it stands as a testament to Lisa Marie’s life and legacy, finally sharing her story with the world. Rest in peace, Lisa Marie Presley.