PRISCILLA Presley and her team “stage-managed” her return to the red carpet after Lisa Marie’s death amid her rift with her granddaughter Riley Keough, an event guest claims.
Priscilla refused any media interviews beforehand and then took part in a Q and A at Netflix’s LA Tudum Theater, where no dramas around the movie or her family war were mentioned.
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One fan was shocked that Elvis’ ex-wife did not even pay tribute or make any mention of Lisa Marie’s passing.
Currently, Priscilla is fighting granddaughter Riley’s inheritance of Elvis’ estate following Lisa Marie’s death.
One guest claimed: “Firstly it was so so strange that Priscilla did not say some words about her daughter given the tragedy. Certainly, people in the audience were talking about how there was no reference to that loss.
“Even the Q and A was a little unusual.
“Everyone wants to know about what is happening with the family and all the issues, but there was zero mention of it. It was weird.”
On Tuesday, Priscilla posed for photos behind a poster for Netflix show Agent Elvis at her first formal appearance since daughter Lisa Marie’s death on January 12.
The 77-year-old ducked away from media opportunities on the way into her special screening for her upcoming Netflix series.
Then on stage, Priscilla was served a series of “softball questions” by moderator Kary Antholis, which never included references to Lisa Marie, family news, or the legal case.
No attendees were offered the chance to ask questions.
Even after the screening, Priscilla posed for a few selfies with fans, hugged someone she recognized, and was escorted out in less than a minute.
The only reference to Lisa Marie came on screen when the titles of Agent Elvis dedicated the first episode to her memory.
Priscilla spoke with show producers John Eddie and Mike Arnold on stage to Antholis about her memories of Elvis and the show, which airs on March 15.
She recalled a range of unusual stories, including Elvis’ out-of-control chimpanzee and how his desire to be a federal agent was fuelled by a hatred of drugs.
Elvis’ death was prompted by a prescription drug addiction.
Priscilla took time to promote clothes maker John Varvatos designing the clothes for the animation.
The guest exclusively revealed: “It was heartbreaking to think that Priscilla did not say anything about the loss of Lisa Marie.
“Of course, everyone goes through grief in their own way, but to be out in public and not mention her really shocked some of the audience.
“It would be fair to say some of my friends felt upset that Lisa Marie’s name was not mentioned at all during the event. Perhaps a tribute or mention during opening remarks would have been fitting.
“Everyone in that room was rooting for Priscilla after losing her daughter so tragically. Whatever she would have said, the audience would have been on her side and supported her. You could feel the tense atmosphere.”
The guest added: “Certainly the Q and A was all about the cartoon and nothing about condolences or reflections on Lisa Marie’s passing.
“It would be fair to say the subjects covered in that were a little unusual. There was a huge plug for John Varvatos, but nothing on the movie’s success and the family battle over Lisa Marie’s estate.
“My assumption is that it was stage-managed totally: the moderator asked not to talk about Lisa Marie or Riley. And then the audience could not raise anything about Lisa Marie or Riley.
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”Some of us came away a little heartbroken that this family is now so fractured.”
During the Q and A, Priscilla took great joy in discussing the reason why she was supporting a cartoon about her late husband’s decision to become a federal agent thanks to President Nixon.
She recalled: “The drugs that were going on in the early 70s that was one of the reasons why he wanted to be an agent, a federal agent. He wanted to stop what was happening with a lot of drugs and a lot of kids dying.
“He went to Nixon so that he could be a federal agent and help and stop what was going on in our time.”
In another odd moment, Priscilla talked about the star’s pet monkey Scatter. The chimp is one of the “most memorable” parts of the show.
“Scatter did all those things. Scatter escaped. Scatter went into Bel Air and climbed into people’s windows and scared them to death.
The police were coming in on Scatter all the time because he would escape. I was there when that happened. We had a place in Bel Air.
He escaped a lot and the neighbors just wanted us to get rid of him. Scatter was the real deal.”
Priscilla explained her decision to back a cartoon: ”Introducing Elvis to the youth today who wonder why he was so famous.
“I know that this is a dream come true for Elvis because I know that this is what he wanted to do.
”He wanted to be a federal agent and for me, I always wanted to give Elvis what he wanted and never really quite made it.
But he was a beautiful human being and a very talented human being and I want kids to really see who he is.”
Priscilla spoke about choosing Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey as the voice of Elvis.
“Obviously he has a great voice. He has that southern voice. A deep voice.
And we discussed other people, but Matthew just kept coming to mind. He’s such a professional and he would do a great job speaking for Elvis.
I loved him in it. He has a southern draw and Elvis did too in many ways. When he would get back to Memphis he would pick it all up at once. Back here in California, he tried to talk Californian.
I thought he did a great job.”
Priscilla then discussed fashion designer Varvatos being vital in designing the costumes for the animations.
“I’ve always loved John Varvatos. His taste. His look.
“If Elvis were here today he would definitely be wearing John Varvatos clothes.
“And John actually came to Memphis and our archivist there Angie took us into the room, which is like going into a vault.
You have to get the key and two more keys and push the door open and have five people help.
We had all the books out on Elvis’s clothes by Bill Belew who was the designer of the jumpsuits and some actual suits that he would wear out in public.
Elvis loved his design and Bill Belew had him down to a tee. So we asked John to come to Memphis with us and he was fascinated with the clothes that Elvis had.
Angie brought out some of the pieces and he was just in awe. I was taking pictures of him as he was looking just going through the fabrics, looking at the clothes that Elvis wore.
They were all unique and no one actually dressed like him.”
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