Riley Keough Reveals Two Films That Sparked Her Acting Dreams
Elvis Presley's granddaughter opens up about the unexpected movies that inspired her career path and shaped her passion for performance from childhood.
Riley Keough has carved out her own impressive path in Hollywood, despite carrying the weight of being Elvis Presley's granddaughter. While some might dismiss her success as nepotism, her body of work speaks for itself. From Steven Soderbergh's Magic Mike to George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, from Andrea Arnold's American Honey to Lars von Trier's The House That Jack Built, plus her Emmy-nominated role in Prime Video's Daisy Jones and the Six, she's consistently chosen challenging and diverse projects.
The Musical That Changed Everything
Speaking with The Guardian, Keough revealed that her fascination with acting didn't emerge until her preteen years. The breakthrough moment came when she watched Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! at age 12. "I was 12, and I was like, 'Wow, I want to be Nicole Kidman, she made me feel so sad!'" Keough recalled. "I remember thinking how fulfilling it would be to do that, which is a big concept for a kid."
Luhrmann's extravagant musical, featuring Kidman as a cabaret performer who falls for Ewan McGregor's struggling writer, became a cultural phenomenon. The film's bold fusion of early 1900s Bohemian aesthetics with modern pop songs earned multiple Oscar nominations and later became a successful Broadway show.
A Personal Connection Through Cinema
Keough's bond with Moulin Rouge! deepened when Luhrmann later directed Elvis, the biographical film about her grandfather. The Presley family had been extremely cautious about licensing rights for any Elvis movie, but they trusted Luhrmann's vision. The resulting film became both a box office success and Oscar contender, earning the family's approval for its honest portrayal of Elvis's struggles during his final years.
An Unexpected Second Inspiration
Alongside the blockbuster musical, Keough cited a much lesser-known film as equally influential: The Secret Lives of Altar Boys. This coming-of-age story, adapted from a graphic novel, resonated deeply with her. She particularly praised Emile Hirsch's leading performance in the film.
Though The Secret Lives of Altar Boys never achieved mainstream success, it captured the alienation many young people felt in the early 2000s. Interestingly, the film also featured Kieran Culkin, whose career has recently exploded thanks to his roles in Succession and A Real Pain, proving the lasting impact of this overlooked gem.