‘Funny, traumatized, joyous, grieving’: Riley Keough reveals why she really wanted to complete Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir

As Elvis Presley‘s only child, Lisa Marie Presley was the subject of intense interest from the moment she was born. Many fans felt as though a piece of the rockstar’s legacy would continue to live on through her. This is a lot of pressure for anyone, but the constant chatter and speculation about Lisa Marie’s life did nothing to quell it. She may have grown up with privilege, but she also faced personal struggles and heartache (including the tragic death of her son).

With this in mind, you can only imagine how fascinating and heartbreaking reading her memoir, From Here to the Great Unknown, would be. The memoir, which will be released posthumously on October 8, was unfinished at the time of her unexpected passing in 2023 — Lisa Marie died as the result of a small-bowel obstruction stemming from a previous bariatric surgery — it was her daughter, Riley Keough (the daughter of musician Danny Keough), who took on the challenge of completing her story.

Riley Keough discusses her mother, Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir

It was a momentous task, but Riley Keough dedicated herself to bringing her mother’s words to life by listening to old recordings. The tapes reflect Lisa Marie’s experiences and feelings, and listening to them impacted her daughter profoundly.

In a recent interview with People, Keough discussed how her mother’s recordings were “an incredible portrait of the force of nature that she was.” She noted how her mother’s emotions on each topic were captured beautifully. “You hear her in all her complications,” she said.

As for why the Under the Bridge actress decided to complete the memoir? It allowed Lisa Marie to tell her own life story in the way she wanted. “What she wanted to do in her memoir, and what I hope I’ve done in finishing it for her, is to go beneath the magazine headline idea of her and reveal the core of who she was,” Keough told People.

She continued, “To turn her into a three-dimensional human being: the best mother, a wild child, a fierce friend, an underrated artist, frank, funny, traumatized, joyous, grieving, everything that she was throughout her remarkable life. I want to give voice to my mother in a way that eluded her while she was alive.”

There are many preconceived notions of who Lisa Marie Presley was, and her daughter is eager to dispel these. She hopes the memoir will illuminate “a very human experience of love, heartbreak, loss, addiction and family.” In the same interview, Keough also shared that her mother hoped someone would read her story and draw comfort from knowing they are “not alone in the world.”

People and Keough shared the interview on Instagram, where fans have expressed great enthusiasm. “I cannot wait to read about your mama and hear you at Graceland next month. I pray for you, and grief is hard,” one fan shared. Another shared similar thoughts, writing, “Thank you for finishing it; what a beautiful thing you’ve done!”

Fans have also praised the actress, whose credits include It Comes at Night, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Daisy Jones & The Six, and shared that they feel her mother would be proud. To preorder From Here to the Great Unknown, check out the book’s website.