Cailee Spaeny, known for her roles in Alien: Romulus and The Beguiled, revealed a missed opportunity early in her career involving Sofia Coppola. She shared how her first collaboration with Coppola was actually for an eventually scrapped version of The Little Mermaid. Spaeny mentioned, “It was for [Coppola’s] The Little Mermaid, [which] ended up not getting made. I sent this weird self-tape, playing a mermaid with no dialogue.” Unfortunately, this initial project did not come to fruition despite her effort.
Despite the setback with The Little Mermaid, Cailee Spaeny did not give up on working with Sofia Coppola. In 2017, she auditioned for The Beguiled, another project directed by Coppola. However, she mentioned how this opportunity also did not pan out. Spaeny expressed her admiration for Coppola’s work, especially in how she portrays young women in a serious light, which resonated with her personally.
It was through these missed opportunities that Cailee Spaeny eventually landed her breakout role as Priscilla Presley in the eponymous 2023 film alongside Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley. After her previous encounters with Coppola, Spaeny received a call from the director expressing interest in meeting her for the role. During their meeting in New York, Coppola showed Spaeny photos of Priscilla Presley, indicating her potential interest in casting her for the role.
Cailee Spaeny also received valuable insights from her collaborators, such as Kirsten Dunst, who had worked with Sofia Coppola before. Dunst provided Spaeny with tips on how to adjust to Coppola’s directing style, especially after coming from a demanding film like Civil War. She mentioned, “It’s just so relaxed and chill, and you’re just going to have the best time and Sofia is going to be playing music and you’re going to be sad in the bathtub.” This contrast in filming experiences helped Spaeny prepare for her role as Priscilla.
Sofia Coppola’s attempt at a live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid in 2014 with Universal and Working Title showcased a darker take on the original fairy tale. However, the project fell through when concerns were raised about its appeal to older male audiences. Coppola recounted a pivotal moment in a boardroom where a studio executive questioned the film’s ability to engage 35-year-old men, leading to uncertainty about the project’s future.
Overall, Cailee Spaeny’s journey to portraying Priscilla Presley in the upcoming biopic serves as a testament to perseverance and resilience in the face of missed opportunities. Her collaboration with Sofia Coppola, while initially challenging, eventually led to a breakthrough role that could define her career in the entertainment industry.