Lisa Marie Presley Celebrated Her Dad at Graceland Days Before Her Death

Getty Lisa Marie Presley attends the Handprint Ceremony honoring her mom, Priscilla Presley, in June 2022

Lisa Marie Presley, the only daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, has died at age 54. TMZ first reported that the singer-songwriter had suffered cardiac arrest and was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on the morning of January 12, 2023. That evening, Priscilla announced the “devastating news” of Lisa Marie’s death in a media statement, calling her daughter “the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known.”

Lisa Marie had been plagued by financial challenges and family tragedy in recent years, including her son Benjamin Keough’s death by suicide in July 2020 at her home in Calabasas, California. Days after his death, her mom Priscilla wrote on Facebook, “These are some of the darkest days of my family’s life.”

But one thing that brought Lisa Marie glimpses of joy in the final year of her life was the “mindblowing” portrayal of her dad in the 2022 movie, “Elvis,” starring Austin Butler as her father. Director Baz Luhrmann and the movie’s cast gave special previews to the Presley family, who loved the movie so much that they began attending festivities with the cast and filmmakers.

Because of this, Lisa Marie spent the last week of her life honoring her dad, making rare public appearances to commemorate his birthday at Graceland and to cheer on the movie at the Golden Globes.

Lisa Marie Presley Celebrated Her Dad’s Birthday at Graceland Days Before Her Death

The weekend before her death, on January 8, Lisa Marie appeared at Graceland to commemorate what would have been her dad’s 88th birthday. According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, which said the annual event, which included a ceremonial cake-cutting led by Lisa Marie and the opening of a new exhibit on the making of the “Elvis” movie. Elvis Presley Enterprises CEO Jack Soden said it was the largest crowd they’d ever had attend the event.

The Commercial Appeal reported that Lisa Marie was greeted with huge cheers and that members of the crowd shouted, “We love you, Lisa Marie!”

Taking the podium, as seen in a YouTube video posted by Elvis fan Kyle Slingo, Lisa Marie said, “Thank you. It’s been a while. I missed you. I keep saying you’re the only people that can bring me out of my house. I’m not kidding.”

“I love you back and that’s why I’m here,” she continued. “Today, (Elvis) would’ve been 88 years old, it’s hard to believe. I think that he’d be proud. This year has been an incredible year. The movie is incredible, I’m very proud of it, and I hope you are too. But it’s just so moving how every year you come from all over the world. It’s moving to me and my family, so thank you.”

Lisa Marie Presley Found Much-Needed Joy in the New ‘Elvis’ Movie

Before the “Elvis” movie was released, Lisa Marie began singing its praises.

“Not much else aside from my other 3 children gets my time and attention anymore,” she wrote on Instagram in June. “However, that being said, I do want to take a moment to let you know that I have seen Baz Luhrmann’s movie “Elvis” twice now, and let me tell you that it is nothing short of spectacular. Absolutely exquisite.”

Lisa Marie went on to say that it was a gift to see her daughters watch the movie, saying “it is finally something that myself and my children and their children can be proud of forever.”

The family invited Butler to spend time at Graceland, and participated in an ABC News special about the movie. When Lisa Marie posted photos of her with the actor, she wrote, “I do believe that this may be my first mile in 2 years.”

Two days before her death, on January 11, Lisa Marie attended the Golden Globes with Priscilla, giving interviews on the red carpet and sitting with Butler and others involved in the “Elvis” film. She and her mom became emotional during Butler’s acceptance speech for the Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture award, as he thanked them.

Lisa Marie put her hands over her face and then over her heart as he said, “Thank you, guys, thank you for opening your hearts, your memories, your home to me. Lisa Marie, Priscilla, I love you forever.”

During an Entertainment Tonight interview on the red carpet before the awards show, Lisa Marie said Butler’s performance as her dad was “mindblowing.”

“I really didn’t know what to do with myself after I saw it,” she revealed. “I had to take like five days to process it because it was so incredible and so spot-on and so authentic. I can’t even describe what it meant.”