Riley Keough found it ‘incredibly painful’ to listen to tapes of the late Lisa Marie Presley

Riley Keough has taken on a significant task by completing her late mother Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir, a process fraught with emotional challenges. In an interview, the actress shared insights about “From Here to the Great Unknown,” a work that delves into the life of her mother who passed away in January 2023 at the age of 54 due to complications from previous weight loss surgery.

Riley emphasized the pressures her mother faced growing up as Elvis Presley’s daughter, often subject to public scrutiny and speculation. “Because my mother was Elvis Presley’s daughter, she was constantly talked about, argued over and dissected,” Riley noted. “What she wanted to convey in her memoir, and what I hope to have accomplished in finishing it for her, is to go beyond the sensational headlines and expose the true essence of who she was.”

In the midst of her grief, Riley, along with her 15-year-old twin sisters, Finley and Harper, is navigating the loss of their mother as well as the passing of their brother, Benjamin, who died in 2020. To honor her mother’s memory, Riley listened to recordings of Lisa Marie, which provided an intimate perspective on her multifaceted personality. The memoir is set to be released in Australia on October 9.

“The tapes present an amazing portrait of the force of nature she was,” Riley explained. “Depending on the day, you can hear so many different emotions—she could be locked-in, distracted, vulnerable, or even annoyed. It captures the full spectrum of her life.”

Riley hopes that readers will come away with a deeper understanding of Lisa Marie. “I want to portray her as a three-dimensional person: a loving mother, a free spirit, a loyal friend, and an artist who was often overlooked. My aim is to showcase all the layers of her complex life,” she expressed. “I want to give voice to my mother in a way that sometimes eluded her during her lifetime.”