Priscilla's budget was so tight Sofia Coppola considered selling a date with Jacob Elordi

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The Priscilla director almost took an unusual approach to budgeting

Priscilla film
(Image credit: MUBI)

In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, director Sofia Coppola revealed that the production budget for Priscilla was so tight that at one point she considered raffling off a pickleball game with her star Jacob Elordi, in order to raise funds for additional shooting days. Imagine that, a real-life 'win a date with Tad Hamilton' scenario with Euphoria actor. 

Coppola later confessed that the Priscilla budget had always been "strained" as she had to make her critically acclaimed flick in just six weeks with less than $20 million and no music rights, whereas Baz Luhrmann had a whopping $85 million to play around with for his Elvis biopic. From directing such lavish and elegant movies as Maire Antoinette, full of extravagant costuming and setting, it is understandable why the director would go to such lengths to raise funds for the movie. 

However, luckily for Elvis imitator Elordi, things didn't get that far. Coppola explains "Our budget was always strained, low budget, and I was like, 'I wonder if I could raffle off a pickleball game with Jacob to raise money to get one more day of shooting.' We didn’t, but he was a good sport. He indulged me, even though he’s not an enthusiast. I think he associates it with, like, Malibu moms."

Elordi plays the king of rock himself Elvis Presley in Coppla’s upcoming adaptation of Priscilla Presley's 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, alongside Cailee Spaeny who plays the leading lady, Priscilla. The A24 film received rave reviews from its screening at the Venice Film Festival, with Spaeny winning best actress honors. 

Priscilla will be released in theaters worldwide on November 3. 

For more upcoming movies check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2023 and beyond.

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Megan Garside
Editorial Associate, GamesRadar+

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for SFX and Total Film online. I have a Bachelors Degree in Media Production and Journalism and a Masters in Fashion Journalism from UAL. In the past I have written for local UK and US newspaper outlets such as the Portland Tribune and York Mix and worked in communications, before focusing on film and entertainment writing. I am a HUGE horror fan and in 2022 I created my very own single issue feminist horror magazine.  

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