Priscilla Presley Reflects on Lisa Marie and Nicolas Cage's "Fiery" Romance
Priscilla Presley is reflecting on the tumultuous romance between her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, and actor Nicolas Cage.
In her memoir, Softly As I Leave You, released on Tuesday, September 23, the 80-year-old Priscilla penned, “Right from the start, I had a fondness for Nicolas Cage. Even with his fiery temperament (a trait my daughter also possessed), he possessed a kind spirit and an immense ability to love. … Regrettably, the powerful spark that united them likewise presented challenges to their enduring connection.” She added, “Their passion extended beyond just romance; it defined them entirely.”
Priscilla also remarked that Lisa Marie, born in 1968 to her and Elvis Presley, had “inherited” her father’s “fiery disposition alongside his striking appearance.” She stated that Cage, currently 61, was “fully capable of holding his own against her in an argument.”
“And goodness, how intensely they quarreled. They would shout and yell, toss objects, and on occasion, damage property. They would separate,” she asserted. “Then, almost immediately, they would reconcile. The frequency with which Lisa and Nick split and reunited was astonishing.”
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Priscilla indicated that Lisa Marie and Cage believed marriage would be their “fix” for stability, tying the knot in 2002.
“Their relationship unfolded like a dramatic television series. I wasn’t taken aback when they decided to go ahead with their wedding preparations,” she wrote. “Even though I held minimal expectation for the marriage’s longevity, I made an effort to remain hopeful.”
Despite her concerns regarding Lisa Marie’s nuptials, Priscilla remembered her daughter appearing “stunning in a classic bridal gown.” Yet, her apprehensions proved accurate just three months subsequent, as Cage initiated divorce proceedings.
“Lisa telephoned to inform me of the development,” she penned. “She subsequently characterized their connection by stating that she and Nick resembled autocratic buccaneers. When two such pirates wed, they doom their vessel. It was a fitting analogy.”
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Lisa Marie and Cage’s divorce was finalized in 2004. Priscilla observed that despite their “stormy” romance, they managed to stay “friends.”
“Nick subsequently informed Barbara Walters that he continued to miss Lisa daily, yet predicted that a reunion would inevitably lead to the same outcome,” she recounted. “They functioned better as companions. I believe both acquired some insight from their time together.”
Following Lisa Marie’s passing at 54 years old in January 2023 from cardiac arrest, Cage paid tribute to his former spouse.
“This news is truly heartbreaking,” the actor conveyed to The Hollywood Reporter then. “Lisa possessed the most wonderful laugh I’ve ever encountered. She brought joy to every space, and I am crushed. I take some comfort in believing she has rejoined her son Benjamin.”
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Lisa Marie’s demise occurred three years subsequent to her son, Benjamin, taking his own life at 27 years old in 2020. (Beyond Benjamin, Lisa also mothered daughter Riley Keough and twin girls Harper and Finley Lockwood)
“My precious, precious angel, I adored you completely on this earth and now in Heaven. My heart and soul departed with you,” Lisa Marie shared in an Instagram dedication on what would have been Benjamin’s 28th birthday. “The profundity of this grief is stifling and unending without you, every single moment. I will never fully recover.”
She proceeded, “My darling, please await my arrival and hold my hand as I remain to safeguard and nurture your younger sisters and to be present for Riley. I am certain that is your wish. Happy Birthday, my sweet boy. You were far too wonderful for this existence.”
