"I just didn’t really think about it that much"- When Riley Keough opened up about being referred to as Elvis' granddaughter

Riley Keough may have established herself as a leading woman in Hollywood with many great acting credits to her name. However, unlike many actors who had to make their name in the industry, Keough was born famous. As the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and musician Danny Keough, and the granddaughter of the legendary Elvis Presley, Riley Keough was always going to be a known name.

While this may create a complex in some, Riley was always open to the fact that her grandfather was Elvis and never shied away from accepting the privilege she grew up with, something that is very hard to find. In an interview with The Guardian from 2017, Keough opened up about being referred to as Elvis' granddaughter and admitted that she never minded this.

She told The Guardian:

"Why should I? It’s a fact. And I’m not ashamed of that in any way....[he was] very, very famous. I knew the situation. I just didn’t really think about it that much."

Of course, Keough never met Elvis Presley, who passed away over a decade before she was born but she inherited the legacy that she shared with her mother, who was also briefly married to married to Michael Jackson.

She also shared in the same interview that with her mother, she had a very privileged upbringing but the same was not the case with her father, which let her experience both sides.

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"I think experiencing both sides has been helpful"- Riley Keough on her upbringing

Many who have interacted with Riley Keough have claimed that she is very grounded and genuine, and this is especially difficult when someone comes from the background that Riley does. However, perhaps the contrast that she experienced with her mother and father helped shape her perspective, something that she discussed in this interview with The Guardian.

Keough shed light on her upbringing, saying:

"I grew up very privileged with my mother,...But my dad didn’t live like that. And I think experiencing both sides has been helpful. My father had mattresses on the floor of his apartments. He lived in cabins and trailer parks. He just didn’t have much money."

In response to this, the interviewer asked her if she ever detested going back to living with her father due to this, but she responded with a heartfelt story. Riley Keough said:

"Actually, my memories of growing up with him were so colourful and eccentric and fun. It was a good vibe, you know? When I was like eight I told him, ‘I want to grow up and be poor like you!’ He was eating a bowl of cereal. I didn’t realise how wildly offensive that was!"

Riley Keough began her modeling career by the time she was 15 and at the age of 20, she made her film debut in The Runaways, which was based on the real-life 1970s all-girl rock band. She never looked back after this and accumulated many television and film credits under her belt, carving out an identity for herself that was beyond being from a famous family.

Keough recently appeared in Sasquatch Sunset and is set to appear in Jay Kelly and Rosebush Pruning, among other unconfirmed projects.