Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla”
Star line-up despite acting strike?
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The striking US actors’ union turns a blind eye to Sofia Coppola’s biopic Priscilla. Why are some films preferred?
Major Hollywood productions are currently paralyzed by the double strike by writers and actors. The ongoing labor dispute in the dream factory has already caused a number of postponements in upcoming cinema releases. Because the members of the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA are not allowed to beat the drum for works in which they have participated during the strike.
For example, the theatrical release of the love triangle story “Challengers” starring superstar Zendaya, 26, has been postponed from September this year to April 2024. Originally, the work of “Call Me by Your Name” director Luca Guadagnino, 52, was supposed to open this year’s Venice Film Festival. But the producing studio MGM, which is behind the film, probably feared that “Challengers” would not receive enough attention without Zendaya’s presence at the Lido.
Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla” gets interim agreement
The situation is completely different with Sofia Coppola, 52, upcoming biopic “Priscilla” about Elvis Presley’s (1935-1977) wife Priscilla Presley, 78. The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA received the film based on Priscilla Presley’s autobiography “Elvis and Me”. (1985) based movie according to “Deadline” a so-called interim agreement that theoretically allows stars and SAG-AFTRA members Jacob Elordi (“Euphoria”, 26) and Cailee Spaeny (“Mare of Easttown”, 25) to travel to Venice to promote their work there.
The reason for this is very simple. The independent film production company A24 is behind “Priscilla”. She is According to the US portal “Cinemablend”. not a member of the producers’ association AMPTP, with which the actors’ union is currently fighting the industrial dispute. The film was also shot in Canada by production company TCB Productions Canada.
According to information from “Deadline”, due to the special permit, not only director and screenwriter Sofia Coppola and Elvis Presley’s 78-year-old ex-wife Priscilla Presley may appear in Venice, but also the two main actors, who are actually on strike.
Theatrical release in October
“Priscilla” will have its world premiere on September 4th at the Venice Film Festival. The film will then be released in US theaters on October 27, 2023. A German start date has not yet been set. In her work, Coppola tells the intimate love story of Elvis and Priscilla Presley.