Their closest confidantes. The Presley family has leaned on their famous friends — publicly and in private — while dealing with difficult times.
When Lisa Marie Presley died at age 54 in January 2023 after suffering cardiac arrest, countless fans and celebrities paid tribute to Elvis and Priscilla Presley‘s daughter. Among the poignant messages was one from Austin Butler, who portrayed the late “Hound Dog” crooner in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic.
“I am eternally grateful for the time I was lucky enough to be near her bright light and will forever cherish the quiet moments we shared,” the actor said in a statement to E! News, noting that he was “completely shattered” by Lisa Marie’s “unexpected” death. “Her warmth, her love and her authenticity will always be remembered.”
Days before she passed away, Lisa Marie attended the 2023 Golden Globes with her mother in support of Butler, who won the trophy for Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama for his star turn as the King of Rock ’n Roll.
“Thank you for opening your hearts, your memories [and] your home to me,” the California native declared in his acceptance speech at the 80th annual awards ceremony. “Lisa Marie, Priscilla, I love you forever.”
On the January 2023 red carpet, Lisa Marie was escorted by her late father’s longtime friend and manager Jerry Schilling, holding on to his arm during interviews. Schilling was a member of Elvis’ famous “Memphis Mafia,” the nickname of his inner circle in the Tennessee city he called home. In the 2022 biopic, Schilling was portrayed by Luke Bracey.
Another star in the family’s orbit is Sarah Ferguson, who shared a close bond with Lisa Marie. Following the “Idiot” singer’s death, the U.K. native sent her condolences to her pal’s children in a sweet social media message. (Lisa Marie shared daughter Riley Keough and son Benjamin Keough with ex-husband Danny Keough, as well as twin daughters Harper and Finley with ex-husband Michael Lockwood. Benjamin died by suicide in 2020 at age 27.)
“I say hello to you everyday and I love you my sissy and I will continue to say hello to you everyday,” the Duchess of York wrote via Instagram in January 2023 alongside a photo of Lisa Marie. “You were my sissy, an amazing mother to Ben, Riley, Harper and Finley and a superbly loving daughter to Priscilla. You have been my devoted friend for many years and I am here for your family to support and love them. I am deeply saddened my sissy, you are in my heart.”
Keep scrolling to learn more about the Presley family’s closest friends:
Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
The Presley Family’s Inner Circle: Sarah Ferguson, Austin Butler and More Famous Friends
Their closest confidantes. The Presley family has leaned on their famous friends — publicly and in private — while dealing with difficult times.
When Lisa Marie Presley died at age 54 in January 2023 after suffering cardiac arrest, countless fans and celebrities paid tribute to Elvis and Priscilla Presley‘s daughter. Among the poignant messages was one from Austin Butler, who portrayed the late “Hound Dog” crooner in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic.
“I am eternally grateful for the time I was lucky enough to be near her bright light and will forever cherish the quiet moments we shared,” the actor said in a statement to E! News, noting that he was “completely shattered” by Lisa Marie’s “unexpected” death. “Her warmth, her love and her authenticity will always be remembered.”
Days before she passed away, Lisa Marie attended the 2023 Golden Globes with her mother in support of Butler, who won the trophy for Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama for his star turn as the King of Rock ’n Roll.
“Thank you for opening your hearts, your memories [and] your home to me,” the California native declared in his acceptance speech at the 80th annual awards ceremony. “Lisa Marie, Priscilla, I love you forever.”
[jwplayer 4cfmQBZ9-zhNYySv2]
On the January 2023 red carpet, Lisa Marie was escorted by her late father’s longtime friend and manager Jerry Schilling, holding on to his arm during interviews. Schilling was a member of Elvis’ famous “Memphis Mafia,” the nickname of his inner circle in the Tennessee city he called home. In the 2022 biopic, Schilling was portrayed by Luke Bracey.
Another star in the family’s orbit is Sarah Ferguson, who shared a close bond with Lisa Marie. Following the “Idiot” singer’s death, the U.K. native sent her condolences to her pal’s children in a sweet social media message. (Lisa Marie shared daughter Riley Keough and son Benjamin Keough with ex-husband Danny Keough, as well as twin daughters Harper and Finley with ex-husband Michael Lockwood. Benjamin died by suicide in 2020 at age 27.)
“I say hello to you everyday and I love you my sissy and I will continue to say hello to you everyday,” the Duchess of York wrote via Instagram in January 2023 alongside a photo of Lisa Marie. “You were my sissy, an amazing mother to Ben, Riley, Harper and Finley and a superbly loving daughter to Priscilla. You have been my devoted friend for many years and I am here for your family to support and love them. I am deeply saddened my sissy, you are in my heart.”
Keep scrolling to learn more about the Presley family’s closest friends:
Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
The Presley Family’s Inner Circle: Sarah Ferguson, Austin Butler and More Famous Friends
Their closest confidantes. The Presley family has leaned on their famous friends — publicly and in private — while dealing with difficult times.
When Lisa Marie Presley died at age 54 in January 2023 after suffering cardiac arrest, countless fans and celebrities paid tribute to Elvis and Priscilla Presley‘s daughter. Among the poignant messages was one from Austin Butler, who portrayed the late “Hound Dog” crooner in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic.
“I am eternally grateful for the time I was lucky enough to be near her bright light and will forever cherish the quiet moments we shared,” the actor said in a statement to E! News, noting that he was “completely shattered” by Lisa Marie’s “unexpected” death. “Her warmth, her love and her authenticity will always be remembered.”
Days before she passed away, Lisa Marie attended the 2023 Golden Globes with her mother in support of Butler, who won the trophy for Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama for his star turn as the King of Rock ’n Roll.
“Thank you for opening your hearts, your memories [and] your home to me,” the California native declared in his acceptance speech at the 80th annual awards ceremony. “Lisa Marie, Priscilla, I love you forever.”
[jwplayer 4cfmQBZ9-zhNYySv2]
On the January 2023 red carpet, Lisa Marie was escorted by her late father’s longtime friend and manager Jerry Schilling, holding on to his arm during interviews. Schilling was a member of Elvis’ famous “Memphis Mafia,” the nickname of his inner circle in the Tennessee city he called home. In the 2022 biopic, Schilling was portrayed by Luke Bracey.
Another star in the family’s orbit is Sarah Ferguson, who shared a close bond with Lisa Marie. Following the “Idiot” singer’s death, the U.K. native sent her condolences to her pal’s children in a sweet social media message. (Lisa Marie shared daughter Riley Keough and son Benjamin Keough with ex-husband Danny Keough, as well as twin daughters Harper and Finley with ex-husband Michael Lockwood. Benjamin died by suicide in 2020 at age 27.)
“I say hello to you everyday and I love you my sissy and I will continue to say hello to you everyday,” the Duchess of York wrote via Instagram in January 2023 alongside a photo of Lisa Marie. “You were my sissy, an amazing mother to Ben, Riley, Harper and Finley and a superbly loving daughter to Priscilla. You have been my devoted friend for many years and I am here for your family to support and love them. I am deeply saddened my sissy, you are in my heart.”
Keep scrolling to learn more about the Presley family’s closest friends:
Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Austin Butler
The Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood actor was particularly close with Lisa Marie and Priscilla, giving them a special shout-out at the 2023 Golden Globes after winning for his role as Elvis.
Lisa Marie, for her part, couldn’t help but gush over the Carrie Diaries alum’s performance as her late father. “It’s almost as if he channeled him,” she said in the June 2022 special Exclusively Elvis. “He put everything he had, his heart, his soul, everything he had into researching, reading, watching, learning. He honored him in every way possible.”
Credit: Joe Pepler/PinPep/Shutterstock
Sarah Ferguson
The Finding Sarah author and Lisa Marie shared a deep friendship after meeting in 2009, per the Daily Mail. “I say hello to you everyday and I love you my sissy and I will continue to say hello to you everyday,” Ferguson, who was married to Prince Andrew from 1986 to 1996, wrote via Instagram in January 2023. “You were my sissy, an amazing mother to Ben, Riley, Harper and Finley and a superbly loving daughter to Priscilla. You have been my devoted friend for many years and I am here for your family to support and love them. I am deeply saddened my sissy, you are in my heart.”
Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
Leah Remini
Remini, who has been openly critical about the Church of Scientology since leaving the religious institution in 2013, shared her devastation in the wake of Lisa Marie’s death. (Lisa Marie left the church in 2014.)
“I’m heartbroken over the passing of Lisa Marie Presley,” the King of Queens alum tweeted in January 2023. “Lisa did not have an easy life, as some might think. May she be at peace, resting with her son and father now. Her mom Priscilla and her three daughters, Riley, Finley, and Harper, are in my prayers.”
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Corey Feldman
The Goonies star revealed his close relationship with Lisa Marie when mourning her passing via Twitter. Feldman noted that he “spent hours on the phone” with the Tennessee native while she was going through her divorce from his pal Michael Jackson and later became close to her son Benjamin.
“ANOTHER PERSON I SHARED DEEP EMOTION WITH HAS PASSED AWAY! THIS IS SO SAD & SHOCKING!” Feldman wrote in January 2023. “LISA & I SPENT HRS ON THE PHONE AS SHE WAS DIVORCING MJ, HER SON BEN WAS LIKE A LITTLE BROTHER 2 ME, SO MUCH LOSS, SO MUCH TRAGEDY N THEIR FAMILY, MY ❤️IS W THE PRESLEYS!”
Credit: CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Linda Thompson
Thompson dated Elvis from 1972 to 1976 and was a stepmother figure to Lisa Marie. The songwriter — who was married to Caitlyn Jenner from 1981 to 1986 — shared a series of throwback photos of herself with Elvis and Lisa Marie after learning that the Elvis by the Presleys coauthor was rushed to the hospital in January 2023.
“I am fervently praying for someone I have always held so near & dear to my heart @lisampresley 💜🙏🏻,” Thompson wrote at the time. “Please join me in sending out your best thoughts, love, prayers, and well wishes for a full and speedy recovery for her. Thank you…💜🙏🏻🙏🏻.”
After Lisa Marie’s death, Thompson shared a photo via Instagram of Lisa with her children and mother. “As fans and friends around the world mourn the tragic loss of Lisa Marie, I am deeply mindful of the unimaginable pain shared by those closest to her. I am keeping Lisa’s devoted mother, Priscilla, and Lisa’s three beautiful daughters in my prayers daily,” the lyricist captioned the image. “As a mother, it is unfathomable to imagine the sorrow of losing a child…& as a daughter, of losing your mom so young. My heart, my love, and my prayers go out to all those most greatly affected by this tragedy. And … As a reminder … Social media can be a very positive force, and especially at a time like this should be implemented as a source of healing and support. May kindness lead our way … 💜🙏🏻.”
Credit: Marion Curtis/Starpix/Shutterstock
Jerry Schilling
Schilling was a member of Elvis’ “Memphis Mafia” and served as the rock n’ roll legend’s manager. He remained close to the Presleys for decades after the “Blue Suede Shoes” singer’s 1977 death, even accompanying Lisa Marie on the Golden Globes red carpet in January 2023.