Riley Keough Opens Up: 'I Was terrified of Nepo-Baby Backlash'

Ashabi Azeez
Riley Keough
Shutterstock | 751606

Riley Keough is well on her way to establishing her place as one of the undisputable stars in the movie industry. It's been close to two decades since she ventured into acting, and over time she has proved her acting prowess. However, despite her unmistakable brilliance, the star was plagued by her showbusiness royalty pedigree.

Riley Keough On Her Latest Film Project

Riley Keough presently has a lot going on in her life, and one of them is the release of her latest TV project, Daisy Jones & The Six. Riley played the lead role of Daisy jones, and this has a spectacular backstory to it.

She Has Received Positive Feedback

Riley Keough
Flickr | Fans of Lisa Marie Presley & Family

The Prime Video series was recently released and so far, the Zola actress seems to be ringing in positive reviews. Critics have described her TV aura as electric energy. The star has also received an appraisal for how her musical lineage came to play as she portrayed the fictional pop star, Daisy Jones.

Riley Was Unsure Of Her Role At First

Despite the streams of encouragement that have been recorded the 33-year-old faced some obstacles when she first got the role. The star was at the top of her game when it came to acting, but she was unsure how well she could execute the singing part of it all.

The Actress' Challenge

Riley Keough
Flickr | 1000Women

It was even more daunting because of the 1970s-style rhythm and lyrics penned by artists like Marcus Mumford. Per DailyMail, Riley opened up about calling this feat as she noted that she was at first sure she could not pull it off. She relayed that the cast put in work for six months of rehearsals to be able to perform the original songs.

Venturing Into Hollywood

Riley Keough
Flickr | wflet

When Riley initially birthed the idea of going into the music industry, she knew she would enjoy it. The mom-of-one recalled how she was called up for her first audition and told herself at the time that if she did not try she would never get to know her strength.

Riley's Entertainment Background Made Her Nervous

The nepo baby trend has been on for a while, and even as the way was paved for Riley by virtue of her background, she still approached her acting career with caution. Riley was apprehensive that the accusations of nepotism would mar her talent. She noted, "It made me really nervous. I was like, should I go? 'Sorry for being here?'"

There Were Some Differences

Riley Keough
Flickr | Fans of Lisa Marie Presley & Family

Riley also acknowledged how her showbiz career was a little distinct in comparison to that of her legendary grandfather, Elvis Presley. While during his lifetime, the late rockstar did take roles in movies as well as his ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, it was not their primary field.

She Compared Elvis' Career Path To Hers And Her Mother's

Riley Keough
Flickr | Fans of Lisa Marie Presley & Family

Riley relayed that she and her granddad have distinct entertainment fortes, and the same could not be said of her mother. She put the late Lisa Marie's music career in perspective noting that her mom could have faced more challenges when there is a direct comparison between her carer and Elvis'.

What Is Riley's New Series All About

Daisy Jones & The Six is inspired by the New York Bestselling novel of the same title. Other stars on the Prime Video series include Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Tom Wright, Josh Whitehouse, Sam Clafin, and Sebastian Chacon among others.

When Will The Series Be Released?

Riley Keough
Flickr | noora.luukka03

The historical fiction series has been released as of Friday, March 3. The episodal show will contain 24 original songs composed exclusively. The body of work s set to be released by Atlantic Recoeds as each of the episodes plays out. The rest of the episodes will be rolled out through March 24.

Riley Keough's Childhood

Riley is the first child of Danny Keough and Lisa Marie Presley. Growing up, she got to experience two sides of the coin. While her mom was the heiress of a musical fortune, her dad had a more humble background. Riley's parents filed for divorce and became legally separated when she was five years old.

She Moved Around A Lot

The star did not really experience a stable childhood because of her parents' living arrangements. As a child, Riley shuffled between Florida and Los Angeles, and at one point, she lived in Hawaii.

Danny And Lisa Marie Were From Different Worlds

Lisa Marie Presley
Flickr | Fans of Lisa Marie Presley & Family

With her mom, Riley lived a privileged life, and with her dad, she stayed in tune with the humble side of life. Once speaking to The Guardian, The Lodge actress stated that her father had his mattresses on the floor of his apartment and he also lived in cabins and trailer parks.

She Described Her Childhood As 'Happy'

Despite the disparity, Riley said her childhood was a happy one. She noted that her memories of growing up with her beloved father were "colorful, eccentric, and fun." Riley stated that she liked and envied her father's simple life.

She Had Famous Stepdads

On her mom's side of the family, Riley got to mix with the high and mighty in the entertainment industry. Her stepdads were A-listers including Michael Jackson, Nicolas Cage, and Michael Lockwood.

She Never Wanted To Be A Child Star

Riley Keough
Flickr | dp3061971

Riley was born into a powerful family and that meant a wide range f opportunities. And while she desired to be an actress since her younger self, she knew she did not want to be a child star. Riley valued her normal upbringing and also wanted to go to school.

Riley Dropped Out Of Childhood

Her dream to be educated in the classroom was cut short when she dropped out halfway. Riley never completed high school because of the strain of her family's status. She noted that going to school with security details and other factors that came with being from a famous family made her eventually drop out.

She Started Modeling As A Teenager

She got her start in the world of showbiz as a model. Riley's parents had tried dissuading her from acting as they described it as a "heartbreaking industry, Due to this, she settled for modeling, but not for too long.

Riley Inherited Her Family's Talent

Riley Keough
Flickr | exploresridharan

Although Riley stayed clear of the music industry, she did inherit the impressive Presley pipes. She once revealed that although she did not sound like her phenomenal grandfather, she did have a "country voice."