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LeBron James lorded over the Eastern Conference for nearly a decade, making eight straight Finals from 2011 to 2018 with the Heat and Cavaliers.

Two of the teams James regularly beat en route to those Finals appearances in the Eastern Conference Playoffs were the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors. On Monday, Paul George and Norman Powell, now teammates on the Clippers, commiserated over their shared experience of getting taken out by LeBron in the playoffs, swapping stories on George’s Podcast P show of how James was just an insurmountable obstacle at that time. Powell recalled James’ ability to know the Raptors’ playbook as a particularly demoralizing factor in their losses to the Cavs, as James wouldn’t just call out their plays, but every variant, cut, and counter they were about to run.

At one point, Powell remembered LeBron telling one of Toronto’s players what they were supposed to be doing on a play when that player turned to the bench to ask for the play call.

As Powell noted, LeBron’s mind just operated on a “totally different level” as he’d call out the play and the various audibles for the Cavs to best defend each set. On the other end, they both explained how James would just enter a zone where it didn’t matter what defense you run, he was just gonna hit turnaround jumpers on you.

There are a lot of teams over the last decade-plus of the NBA who will always wonder what could’ve been had LeBron’s Heat and Cavs teams or Steph Curry’s Warriors teams not existed, but the further removed they get from those series, the more they’re able to appreciate the level James played at, even if it was at their expense.

With lots of late-night television shows to choose from, there are even more performances from talented musical artists to catch on the lineups. Here’s Uproxx’s roundup of some standout highlights from the past week.

Olivia Rodrigo

A few days ago, Rodrigo dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! to deliver a rocking performance of her song “Ballad Of A Homeschooled Girl,” from her recent sophomore record, Guts.

Tyla

Tyla made her US television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform “Water.” Joined by backup dancers, she shined, showed off her vocals — and sparkled in a star-themed silver outfit.

Jorja Smith

Another on The Tonight Show lineup this past week was Jorja Smith, who delivered a mashup of her title track, “Falling Or Flying,” and her other song, “Little Things.” The blend showed off Smith’s both sides between a ballad and a groovy hit.

Tate McRae

Back over at Kimmel, former Uproxx cover star Tate McRae also made an appearance to play her newest song, “Greedy.” McRae used the stage to her advantage, turning the setting into a locker room — likely as a nod to her hockey-themed music video.

Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode were on Jimmy Fallon’s show this week, too, where they performed their song “Wagging Tongue.” The track is featured on the band’s new album, Memento Mori.

Arlo Parks

At The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Arlo Parks gave a dreamy and psychedelic rendition of “Weightless,” from her record My Soft Machine.

Momma

Rounding out this week’s list of key performances was Momma, who appeared on The Late Show‘s #LateShowMeMusic series. Filmed remotely, the band performed “Rockstar,” which felt exactly as the title described.

Is Scary Movie having a moment? Maybe it’s the time of year or the ongoing popularity of Scream and Saw, but I’ve heard the 2000 spoof of horror films referenced on multiple podcasts lately, mostly about how good it is. That sounds like weak anecdotal evidence (because it is), but I have proof of Scary Movie‘s cultural resurgence. You can find it on Hailey Bieber‘s Instagram.

The model dressed up (or undressed, really) as Carmen Electra in the opening scene from Scary Movie. In the parody of Scream, Electra plays the Drew Barrymore character who gets slashed to death by Ghostface. Instead of wearing Barrymore’s white sweater, she runs through lawn sprinklers in nothing more than a bra and underwear. There’s also a joke about Electra having sex with Prince. It’s still very funny, possibly in a you-had-to-be-there kind of way. The point is, Bieber nailed the look, which you can see here.

[Bieber] showed off the finished look in a series of portraits taken by Amber Asaly, which you can see here. To complete the costume, which, per stylist Dani Michelle, was custom-made for the model by Victoria’s Secret, Bieber also wore a heart-shaped necklace, a watch, and a pair of black Converse low-top sneakers. Hairstylists Jen Atkin and Amanda Lee were on hand to assist with Bieber’s blowout, while makeup artist Leah Darcy helped her nail Electra’s bombshell glam.

Is it her husband Justin in the Ghostface costume? Now there’s a twist.

(Via Glamour)

In the wake of Matthew Perry’s sudden death by apparent drowning on Oct 28, heartfelt tributes have been rolling in commemorating the actor for his iconic comedy roles—primarily his beloved character of Chandler Bing on the quintessential millennial sitcom “Friends.”

And while his charming, sardonic onscreen persona brought endless amounts of joy for fans, he would tell it wasn’t his biggest accomplishment. In fact, none of his acting roles were.

A year prior to his death, Perry had released his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” where he opened up about his decades long sobriety journey from opioid addiction.

While promoting the book on the “Q with Tom Power” podcast, Perry revealed what he actually hoped would be his lasting legacy.

“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life but the best thing about me, bar none, is that if an alcoholic or drug addict comes up to me and says, ‘Will you help me?’ I will always say ‘Yes, I know how to do that. I will do that for you, even if I can’t always do it for myself.’ So I do that, whenever I can. In groups, or one on one,” he told Power.

“I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker. And [my] paramount thing is that [I] want to help people…” the actor continued, adding that his call to be of service led him to creating the Perry House in Malibu, a sober-living facility for men as well as his play, “The End of Longing,” written as a “personal message” to those struggling with addiction, or those who love someone with addiction.

And though Perry prioritized these contributions over his career, he was also a consummate realist…with a sense of humor.

“When I die, I know people will talk about Friends, Friends, Friends. And I’m glad of that, happy I’ve done some solid work as an actor, as well as given people multiple chances to make fun of my struggles on the world wide web…But when I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if Friends were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people. I know it won’t happen, but it would be nice,” he said.

Following Perry’s passing at the age of 54, this powerful interview began making the rounds on social media once again, with countless fans noting how his words will indeed help those on the road to recovery.

Here is just a small sampling of what folks are saying:

“Rest in peace Matthew Perry. I’m sure your book will help countless other addicts and their families. We will miss your honesty, humbleness, and humor.”

“From an Irish family, full of drinking, arguments, death, I am so desperately sorry that MP has come to an early end. My son is recovering, I have sent this to him. Thank you. RIP Matthew Perry.”

“RIP. Your ability to voice how an addict feels, how their brain works, and what that means for them has helped me as I’ve processed alcoholic family members and friends’ lives. Thank you for bringing light to this.”

“His transparency and harsh honesty here about his addiction will stick with me forever. It’s not easy. RIP brother.”

These are the lessons we all come to learn one way or another. One, that the human heart doesn’t necessarily measure success by fame or fortune, but by how we were able to make an impact for others. And two, that opening up about our struggles just might be the very thing to help us, all of us, heal.

Thank Matthew. For the laughs and for the honesty.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

It’s incredible to imagine that Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime. “The Red Vineyard” sold in Brussels a few months before his death for just 400 Francs.

Now, he’s celebrated as one of the greatest artists who ever lived.

In this incredible clip from “Dr. Who” we get to see what his reaction may have been if he saw his art today.

Vincent Van Gogh Visits the Gallery | Vincent and the Doctor | Doctor Who

This article originally appeared on 02.21.20

Simone Biles withdrawing from the team final in the Tokyo Olympics and subsequently withdrawing from the individual all-around finals after getting a case of the “twisties” has the world talking. She’s received overwhelming support as well as overwhelming criticism for the move, with some praising her for recognizing her limits and others blasting her for not persevering through whatever she’s dealing with.

Some people pointed to Kerri Strug, who landed on one foot after vaulting with a broken ankle in the 1996 Olympics to help the U.S. win gold, as an example of the kind of sacrifice an athlete should be willing to make for their country.

Byron Heath shared some thoughts about that fateful day in a viral Facebook post that has been shared more than 370,000 times in less than a day.

Heath wrote:

“This realization I had about Simone Biles is gonna make some people mad, but oh well.

Yesterday I was excited to show my daughters Kerri Strug’s famous one-leg vault. It was a defining Olympic moment that I watched live as a kid, and my girls watched raptly as Strug fell, and then limped back to leap again.

But for some reason I wasn’t as inspired watching it this time. In fact, I felt a little sick. Maybe being a father and teacher has made me soft, but all I could see was how Kerri Strug looked at her coach, Bela Karolyi, with pleading, terrified eyes, while he shouted back ‘You can do it!’ over and over again.

My daughters didn’t cheer when Strug landed her second vault. Instead they frowned in concern as she collapsed in agony and frantic tears.

‘Why did she jump again if she was hurt?’ one of my girls asked. I made some inane reply about the heart of a champion or Olympic spirit, but in the back of my mind a thought was festering: *She shouldn’t have jumped again*

The more the thought echoed, the stronger my realization became. Coach Karolyi should have gotten his visibly injured athlete medical help immediately! Now that I have two young daughters in gymnastics, I expect their safety to be the coach’s number one priority. Instead, Bela Karolyi told Strug to vault again. And he got what he wanted; a gold medal that was more important to him than his athlete’s health. I’m sure people will say ‘Kerri Strug was a competitor–she WANTED to push through the injury.’ That’s probably true. But since the last Olympics we’ve also learned these athletes were put into positions where they could be systematically abused both emotionally and physically, all while being inundated with ‘win at all costs’ messaging. A teenager under those conditions should have been protected, and told ‘No medal is worth the risk of permanent injury.’ In fact, we now know that Strug’s vault wasn’t even necessary to clinch the gold; the U.S. already had an insurmountable lead.

Nevertheless, Bela Karolyi told her to vault again according to his own recounting of their conversation:

‘I can’t feel my leg,’ Strug told Karolyi.

‘We got to go one more time,’ Karolyi said. ‘Shake it out.’

‘Do I have to do this again?’ Strug asked. ‘Can you, can you?’ Karolyi wanted to know.

‘I don’t know yet,’ said Strug. ‘I will do it. I will, I will.’

The injury forced Strug’s retirement at 18 years old. Dominique Moceanu, a generational talent, also retired from injuries shortly after. They were top gymnasts literally pushed to the breaking point, and then put out to pasture. Coach Karolyi and Larry Nassar (the serial sexual abuser) continued their long careers, while the athletes were treated as a disposable resource.

Today Simone Biles–the greatest gymnast of all time–chose to step back from the competition, citing concerns for mental and physical health. I’ve already seen comments and posts about how Biles ‘failed her country’, ‘quit on us’, or ‘can’t be the greatest if she can’t handle the pressure.’ Those statements are no different than Coach Karolyi telling an injured teen with wide, frightened eyes: ‘We got to go one more time. Shake it out.’

The subtext here is: ‘Our gold medal is more important than your well-being.’

Our athletes shouldn’t have to destroy themselves to meet our standards. If giving empathetic, authentic support to our Olympians means we’ll earn less gold medals, I’m happy to make that trade.

Here’s the message I hope we can send to Simone Biles: You are an outstanding athlete, a true role model, and a powerful woman. Nothing will change that. Please don’t sacrifice your emotional or physical well-being for our entertainment or national pride. We are proud of you for being brave enough to compete, and proud of you for having the wisdom to know when to step back. Your choice makes you an even better example to our daughters than you were before. WE’RE STILL ROOTING FOR YOU!”

Many people shared Heath’s sentiment, with comments pouring in thanking him for putting words to what they were feeling.

We’re in a new era where our lens of what’s admirable, what’s strong, and what’s right has shifted. We understand more about the lifelong impact of too many concussions. We have trainers and medics checking on football players after big hits. We are finding a better balance between competitiveness and well-being. We are acknowledging the importance of mental health and physical health.

We are also more aware of how both physical and mental trauma impacts young bodies. Though Kerri Strug pushing through the pain has long been seen as an iconic moment in sports, the adults in the room should have been protecting her, not pushing her through an obvious injury.

And the way this fall of Dominique Moceanu at age 14 was handled is downright shocking by today’s standards. She said she never received an exam for it, even after the competition was over. So wrong.

u201cIn our sport, we essentially dive into a pool w/ no water. When you lose your ability to find the groundu2014which appears to be part of @Simone_Biles decisionu2014-the consequences can be catastrophic. She made the right decision for the team & herself. @bispingu201d

— Dominique Moceanu (@Dominique Moceanu)
1627483863

“@Carolinafan0279 @Simone_Biles Nope 👎🏻”

u201c@Carolinafan0279 @Simone_Biles Nope ud83dudc4eud83cudffbu201d

— Dominique Moceanu (@Dominique Moceanu)
1627483863

Athletes are not cogs in a wheel, and the desire to win a competition should not trump someone’s well-being. Elite gymnasts already put themselves through grueling physical and mental feats; they wouldn’t be at the top of their sport if they didn’t. But there are limits, and too often in our yearning for a gold medal—or even for a triumphant Olympic story—we push athletes too far.

Now we see some of them pushing back, and knowing what we know now, that’s 100% a good thing.

This article originally appeared on 07.28.21

Even though Taylor Sheridan already has a hefty resume filled with cowboy hats, he can never have too many shows. This is why your dad loves him so much. The Yellowstone creator has teamed up with Chad Feehan to produce Lawmen: Bass Reeves, an upcoming drama based on the true story of the first Black U.S. Marshal, Bass Reeves.

Lawmen: Bass Reeves is the latest series to take place in the West, this time following David Oyelowo as the legendary lawmen himself, alongside Dennis Quaid, Garrett Hedlund, Forrest Goodluck, Barry Pepper, Grantham Coleman, Demi Singleton, and Lauren E. Banks. Here is the official synopsis for the series, which will consist of eight episodes:

From Executive Producers Taylor Sheridan and David Oyelowo comes the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West: Bass Reeves. Lawmen: Bass Reeves, follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.

The first two episodes of Lawmen will premiere on November 5th on Paramount+, and continue weekly through December 17th. Until then, you can also stream other Sheridan favorites on Paramount+, like Tulsa King, the Yellowstone prequels 1883 and 1923, and Mayor Of Kingstown. If you’re looking to stream the original Yellowstone series, you’ll have to hop on over to Peacock for now.

Even though Taylor Sheridan already has a hefty resume filled with cowboy hats, he can never have too many shows. This is why your dad loves him so much. The Yellowstone creator has teamed up with Chad Feehan to produce Lawmen: Bass Reeves, an upcoming drama based on the true story of the first Black U.S. Marshal, Bass Reeves.

Lawmen: Bass Reeves is the latest series to take place in the West, this time following David Oyelowo as the legendary lawmen himself, alongside Dennis Quaid, Garrett Hedlund, Forrest Goodluck, Barry Pepper, Grantham Coleman, Demi Singleton, and Lauren E. Banks. Here is the official synopsis for the series, which will consist of eight episodes:

From Executive Producers Taylor Sheridan and David Oyelowo comes the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West: Bass Reeves. Lawmen: Bass Reeves, follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.

The first two episodes of Lawmen will premiere on November 5th on Paramount+, and continue weekly through December 17th. Until then, you can also stream other Sheridan favorites on Paramount+, like Tulsa King, the Yellowstone prequels 1883 and 1923, and Mayor Of Kingstown. If you’re looking to stream the original Yellowstone series, you’ll have to hop on over to Peacock for now.

In Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny gives a haunting performance as Priscilla Presley. In a film spanning around 15 years of Presley’s life, we first meet her when she’s 14, living in Germany where both her father and Elvis are stationed while serving in the military. Spaeney has the task of bringing Priscilla Presley’s point of view to life, first through the adoring eyes of a teenager, then as a world weary adult just south of 30.

Spaeny already has credits ranging from Pacific Rim: Uprising to Mare of Easttown, but her performance in Priscilla is going to be a giant leap for the actor, pushing her into the limelight. It’s interesting, because she talks about growing up in Springfield, Missouri and contrasting that to this life she’s living now. (As someone who happened to go to junior high school in Springfield, Missouri, I’m in a unique position to be able to definitively say, yes, I see her point here.)

I spoke to Spaeny early on a Saturday morning over Zoom. When she appeared on screen she was wearing a Kansas City Chiefs sweatshirt (um, so, yes, I am a fan of that particular sports franchise), which I will admit endeared herself to me in a way that probably wouldn’t have happened if she was wearing, say, a Bills or Bengals sweatshirt. As we started, I debated asking something I was wondering. For some reason, I was really curious if, for research, Spaeny watched the Naked Gun movies, which could have easily been answered, “What does that have to do with her time with Elvis?,” which would be a very fair point. Anyway, it turns out I’m glad I asked.

You grew up in Springfield, Missouri? I went to junior high there…

No way!

Oh, you’re wearing a Chiefs shirt? I’m a huge Chiefs fan.

Oh, my gosh. The world’s colliding right now. Where’d you go?

Hickory Hills.

Oh, my God. Then you went to Kansas City?

Yeah. I went to high school in Kansas City.

What’d you think of Springfield?

It was a nice place to go to junior high. It was right around when Brad Pitt was starting to pop up in stuff and people were excited. I think he went to Kickapoo High School?

Yes, I know.

You know what, people are going to love this interview…

Springfield will love it. Missouri will love it.

Yes, they will. Springfield is also the home of Kathleen Turner.

Yeah, it’s true. Who else do we have? There are actually some really good young musicians that are coming out of Springfield. But Kansas City is the place right now.

I know, and they have a new airport!

I love the Springfield-Branson Airport so much because it’s like a hallway. It’s great.

Branson … Silver Dollar City.

I worked there for seven years!

What?

I worked there every Christmas — Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for seven years. I knew that place like the back of my hand. I went through all the back doors, ate funnel cakes every lunch. Oh, my God. It was honestly one of the best ways for a child… that’s how I grew up, was at a theme park. I grew up at a theme park. It was the best experience. But Branson, I need to go back. What a funny place. Oh, my gosh. And it’s so hard to describe places like that unless you’ve been there.

I don’t know why I kept thinking this when I was watching Priscilla, but I’m curious if you ever watch Priscilla Presley in the Naked Gun movies?

I hadn’t. When I dove into the work and the book and also talking to Priscilla herself, I was like, do I need to watch these Naked Gun movies for prep? And I’m like, yeah, I’m going to do it. I watched her in it and I remember I called her. I was like, “Oh, my God, Priscilla, you’ve lived so many lives and you’re so full of surprises.” Her comedy in those movies is amazing.

She’s really funny in those movies.

Her timing is incredible. She’s hilarious and it just speaks to her. She’s so unexpected and layered and really highly intelligent and has always been an old soul. I think because she’s always been so observant. She doesn’t speak that much. When she’s in a public place you can tell she watches everything like a hawk, but she doesn’t speak that much. But when she went into those roles? I also watched some episodes of Dallas too, which was fascinating.

Oh, wow, you really went for it. You went back to Dallas.

There’s not a ton of footage of her online, so I would just go to sleep listening to interviews or anything I could get my hands on to try to get little nuggets of information. But she is extraordinary. She’s tricky to put your finger on. The second you feel like, I got her, I know exactly who this person is, then you watch her in Naked Gun and you’re like, oh.

I think there’s a whole generation that only knows her from Naked Gun.

That has to be true.

Well, I’m talking about myself basically. I, of course, realize she was married to Elvis, but she’s the star of the Naked Gun movies.

Well, that’s what’s so interesting is because I grew up, coming from the southern Midwest, I was born in Tennessee, raised in the southern Midwest. Elvis is a huge icon in America. But for the South he is this God. And my mom was such a huge Elvis fan. She collected memorabilia and we went to Graceland growing up on vacation. And it is funny that you say that, that was my first introduction to her because, growing up an Elvis fan, I obviously knew who Priscilla was, but I didn’t know her stories or her side of the story at all. And I was shocked by that because we were big Elvis fans. He was talked about and his music was playing a lot growing up. Whenever this project came my way and I read the book for the first time, it was shocking. Not only the facts from the book and her perspective on that side of the story, but also the fact that I had no idea, her experience.

At what point in the process do you first meet her and what’s that like?

Well, I got the book and the script and Sophia said, “I’m passing you her information and you can reach out and see if she’s open to meeting.”

Oh.

Yeah.

That’s intimidating. It’s left up to you.

Very intimidating. But obviously of course I had to meet her. But so strange to take that on. I remember we met for lunch and she was walking towards the table and I got so nervous and words just couldn’t come out of my mouth. And I remember she sat down and there was this awkward silence. And she had to say, “Are there any questions you want to ask me?”

Wow.

“Oh right, yes.” I also wanted to be respectful of her and her telling the story over and over again. I wanted her to feel safe and I didn’t want her to feel like I was just interviewing her. I wanted her to feel comfortable with me and only tell me what she felt like she wanted to relive again. But once we started talking, I think we ended up talking for three or four hours the first time we met. She was very gracious with her time. And sometimes we’d talk about Elvis and there were little nuggets of gold in there of specific feelings and emotions.

For example, on the night she first met him. And then sometimes we’d start talking about something completely random like her animal activism. But just being in front of her and taking her presence in and how she holds herself because she’s a different generation of woman. The way that she still presents in a way and she always looks very nice and has high heels on. It’s not only playing her, but also playing a woman from that time. Just being around her and getting to sit down with her and taking time was really a vital piece of the puzzle of putting together how I was going to portray her, my own version of her.

I know it doesn’t work like this, but it is weird that the Elvis movie came out last year. And now Priscilla does feel like her being able to say, okay, wait a second, here’s my version of what happened. Do you think about that?

Yeah, sure. In the sense of that it’s coming back around to … we’ve heard the Elvis story so many times. I haven’t seen that movie actually, but people loved it and the family is really supportive of it. But in terms of not knowing her side of the story, it is, I think, an interesting… they are completely different films.

Oh, yes, that’s true.

They’re told in such different styles. But I think it is strange that we don’t know her side of the story. And I think I found it fascinating to dive into that world. And what were the big questions she was asking herself and how did she find her way out of that life with him? I think, it’s hard to wrap your head around when she was living every girl’s dream fantasy. But what was happening behind closed doors and what was the human side of that story? Hopefully people are interested in that and they are moved by the story.

I think they will be. Also, it was fun meeting someone else who lived in Springfield…

Well, I think without having to tell you my story and journey, you already get the base level of what that was like, going from Springfield to this life I’m in now.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

In Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny gives a haunting performance as Priscilla Presley. In a film spanning around 15 years of Presley’s life, we first meet her when she’s 14, living in Germany where both her father and Elvis are stationed while serving in the military. Spaeney has the task of bringing Priscilla Presley’s point of view to life, first through the adoring eyes of a teenager, then as a world weary adult just south of 30.

Spaeny already has credits ranging from Pacific Rim: Uprising to Mare of Easttown, but her performance in Priscilla is going to be a giant leap for the actor, pushing her into the limelight. It’s interesting, because she talks about growing up in Springfield, Missouri and contrasting that to this life she’s living now. (As someone who happened to go to junior high school in Springfield, Missouri, I’m in a unique position to be able to definitively say, yes, I see her point here.)

I spoke to Spaeny early on a Saturday morning over Zoom. When she appeared on screen she was wearing a Kansas City Chiefs sweatshirt (um, so, yes, I am a fan of that particular sports franchise), which I will admit endeared herself to me in a way that probably wouldn’t have happened if she was wearing, say, a Bills or Bengals sweatshirt. As we started, I debated asking something I was wondering. For some reason, I was really curious if, for research, Spaeny watched the Naked Gun movies, which could have easily been answered, “What does that have to do with her time with Elvis?,” which would be a very fair point. Anyway, it turns out I’m glad I asked.

You grew up in Springfield, Missouri? I went to junior high there…

No way!

Oh, you’re wearing a Chiefs shirt? I’m a huge Chiefs fan.

Oh, my gosh. The world’s colliding right now. Where’d you go?

Hickory Hills.

Oh, my God. Then you went to Kansas City?

Yeah. I went to high school in Kansas City.

What’d you think of Springfield?

It was a nice place to go to junior high. It was right around when Brad Pitt was starting to pop up in stuff and people were excited. I think he went to Kickapoo High School?

Yes, I know.

You know what, people are going to love this interview…

Springfield will love it. Missouri will love it.

Yes, they will. Springfield is also the home of Kathleen Turner.

Yeah, it’s true. Who else do we have? There are actually some really good young musicians that are coming out of Springfield. But Kansas City is the place right now.

I know, and they have a new airport!

I love the Springfield-Branson Airport so much because it’s like a hallway. It’s great.

Branson … Silver Dollar City.

I worked there for seven years!

What?

I worked there every Christmas — Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for seven years. I knew that place like the back of my hand. I went through all the back doors, ate funnel cakes every lunch. Oh, my God. It was honestly one of the best ways for a child… that’s how I grew up, was at a theme park. I grew up at a theme park. It was the best experience. But Branson, I need to go back. What a funny place. Oh, my gosh. And it’s so hard to describe places like that unless you’ve been there.

I don’t know why I kept thinking this when I was watching Priscilla, but I’m curious if you ever watch Priscilla Presley in the Naked Gun movies?

I hadn’t. When I dove into the work and the book and also talking to Priscilla herself, I was like, do I need to watch these Naked Gun movies for prep? And I’m like, yeah, I’m going to do it. I watched her in it and I remember I called her. I was like, “Oh, my God, Priscilla, you’ve lived so many lives and you’re so full of surprises.” Her comedy in those movies is amazing.

She’s really funny in those movies.

Her timing is incredible. She’s hilarious and it just speaks to her. She’s so unexpected and layered and really highly intelligent and has always been an old soul. I think because she’s always been so observant. She doesn’t speak that much. When she’s in a public place you can tell she watches everything like a hawk, but she doesn’t speak that much. But when she went into those roles? I also watched some episodes of Dallas too, which was fascinating.

Oh, wow, you really went for it. You went back to Dallas.

There’s not a ton of footage of her online, so I would just go to sleep listening to interviews or anything I could get my hands on to try to get little nuggets of information. But she is extraordinary. She’s tricky to put your finger on. The second you feel like, I got her, I know exactly who this person is, then you watch her in Naked Gun and you’re like, oh.

I think there’s a whole generation that only knows her from Naked Gun.

That has to be true.

Well, I’m talking about myself basically. I, of course, realize she was married to Elvis, but she’s the star of the Naked Gun movies.

Well, that’s what’s so interesting is because I grew up, coming from the southern Midwest, I was born in Tennessee, raised in the southern Midwest. Elvis is a huge icon in America. But for the South he is this God. And my mom was such a huge Elvis fan. She collected memorabilia and we went to Graceland growing up on vacation. And it is funny that you say that, that was my first introduction to her because, growing up an Elvis fan, I obviously knew who Priscilla was, but I didn’t know her stories or her side of the story at all. And I was shocked by that because we were big Elvis fans. He was talked about and his music was playing a lot growing up. Whenever this project came my way and I read the book for the first time, it was shocking. Not only the facts from the book and her perspective on that side of the story, but also the fact that I had no idea, her experience.

At what point in the process do you first meet her and what’s that like?

Well, I got the book and the script and Sophia said, “I’m passing you her information and you can reach out and see if she’s open to meeting.”

Oh.

Yeah.

That’s intimidating. It’s left up to you.

Very intimidating. But obviously of course I had to meet her. But so strange to take that on. I remember we met for lunch and she was walking towards the table and I got so nervous and words just couldn’t come out of my mouth. And I remember she sat down and there was this awkward silence. And she had to say, “Are there any questions you want to ask me?”

Wow.

“Oh right, yes.” I also wanted to be respectful of her and her telling the story over and over again. I wanted her to feel safe and I didn’t want her to feel like I was just interviewing her. I wanted her to feel comfortable with me and only tell me what she felt like she wanted to relive again. But once we started talking, I think we ended up talking for three or four hours the first time we met. She was very gracious with her time. And sometimes we’d talk about Elvis and there were little nuggets of gold in there of specific feelings and emotions.

For example, on the night she first met him. And then sometimes we’d start talking about something completely random like her animal activism. But just being in front of her and taking her presence in and how she holds herself because she’s a different generation of woman. The way that she still presents in a way and she always looks very nice and has high heels on. It’s not only playing her, but also playing a woman from that time. Just being around her and getting to sit down with her and taking time was really a vital piece of the puzzle of putting together how I was going to portray her, my own version of her.

I know it doesn’t work like this, but it is weird that the Elvis movie came out last year. And now Priscilla does feel like her being able to say, okay, wait a second, here’s my version of what happened. Do you think about that?

Yeah, sure. In the sense of that it’s coming back around to … we’ve heard the Elvis story so many times. I haven’t seen that movie actually, but people loved it and the family is really supportive of it. But in terms of not knowing her side of the story, it is, I think, an interesting… they are completely different films.

Oh, yes, that’s true.

They’re told in such different styles. But I think it is strange that we don’t know her side of the story. And I think I found it fascinating to dive into that world. And what were the big questions she was asking herself and how did she find her way out of that life with him? I think, it’s hard to wrap your head around when she was living every girl’s dream fantasy. But what was happening behind closed doors and what was the human side of that story? Hopefully people are interested in that and they are moved by the story.

I think they will be. Also, it was fun meeting someone else who lived in Springfield…

Well, I think without having to tell you my story and journey, you already get the base level of what that was like, going from Springfield to this life I’m in now.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.