Danielle Reilly Keough: Exploring the Career and Life of an American Actress
Danielle Reilly Keough, born on May 29, 1989, is an accomplished American actress. She ventured into the world of feature films at a mere 20 years old, marking her debut with the supporting role of Mary Carr in the captivating musical biopic "The Runaways" (2010). Before taking on a smaller part in the witty comedy "Magic Mike" (2012), directed by Steven Soderbergh, she showcased her acting skills in the independent thriller "The Good Doctor" (2011). Her introduction to big-budget releases came through the action-packed feature "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015).
In 2016, Keough made a noteworthy appearance in the first season of the anthology series "The Girlfriend Experience," portraying an escort. Her successful performance earned her a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Her role as a candid young woman in the drama "American Honey" (2016) garnered even more acclaim, including a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female.
She further ventured into the horror genre with "It Comes at Night" (2017), acted in Soderbergh's heist film "Logan Lucky" (2017), and starred in horror films "The Lodge" (2018) and "It Comes at Night" (2019). Following her prominent role in the comedy-drama "Zola" (2020), Keough co-directed the drama "War Pony" (2022), which received recognition for its camera work at the Camerimage festival.
Subsequently, she showcased her talent in Amazon Prime Video's thriller series "The Terminal List" (2022) and the drama series "Daisy Jones & The Six" (2023). Her performances earned her a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award later on.
Early Life of Danielle Reilly Keough
Keough was born on May 29, 1989, at the Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. She is the eldest child of singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley (1968-2023) and musician Danny Keough, and the granddaughter of Elvis Presley and actress-businesswoman Priscilla Presley. Keough's father's introduction to her mother occurred when he was performing as a bass guitarist in her mother's band. She had a brother, Benjamin Storm Keough (1992-2020), and two half-sisters, twins Harper and Finley, from her mother's fourth marriage to Michael Lockwood. According to Keough, her father's lineage is mostly Irish, with predominantly Sephardic Jewish (Portuguese-Jewish) and Ashkenazi Jewish (Eastern European Jewish) heritage, while her maternal grandfather, Elvis Presley, was rumored to have Creek, Cherokee, Scottish-Irish, and Norman ancestry. Her maternal grandmother, Priscilla, is of partial Norwegian descent.
When Keough was five years old, her parents divorced, and her mother had a brief marriage to Michael Jackson from 1994 to 1996. Reflecting on her upbringing, Keough mentioned that she grew up with a "very privileged life with my mom, but I've lived just like my dad too... and I feel like I've gotten to experience both sides. My dad's apartment had mattresses on the floor. He lived in cabins and trailer parks. He had the mentality of just scraping by... But, my memories with him were very colorful, eccentric, and fun. It was a good vibe, you know? I was about eight years old and I said, 'I want to be poor when I grow up like you!' He was eating a bowl of cereal. I had no concept of anything. I didn't realize that was insulting!" Keough's upbringing was primarily with her father, who worked in aviation and Los Angeles, although she occasionally stayed at her mother's homes in Los Angeles and Graceland Estate in Memphis, Tennessee, which her mother inherited after her maternal grandfather's death. She is now the sole owner of the estate and serves as the chairwoman of her siblings' trusts.
In 2002, when Keough was 13, her mother married actor Nicolas Cage, though this marriage also remained short-lived and ended in divorce two years later. For a brief period, Keough attended a public school in Sun Valley, but due to frequent travel between her parents' homes, she eventually received homeschooling education.
Livelihood:
Before starting her film career, Keough began modeling at the age of 15. She appeared in Dolce & Gabbana's Autumn/Winter 2004 ready-to-wear show and later walked for Christian Dior's Spring/Summer 2005 collection. In August 2004, Keough graced the cover of Vogue in the United States. Subsequently, she appeared on the covers of Japanese Elle and Korean Vogue in 2005, as well as features in French Jalouse and L'Officiel in the same year.
2009–2015: Beginning of Film Career
In 2010, at the age of 20, Keough made her film debut in "The Runaways," a biographical drama based on the 1970s all-girl rock band of the same name. She portrayed Mary Currie, the sister of the band's lead singer Cherie Currie, played by Dakota Fanning. The film also starred Kristen Stewart and Tatum O'Neal and premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival with mixed reviews.
In April 2011, Keough acted alongside Orlando Bloom and Taraji P. Henson as the main female lead in the play "The Good Doctor." She played the role of a young patient, Dianna Nixon, who keeps herself sick in order to gain the respect of her doctor. The play received mixed reviews. In May 2010, Keough took over the role of Olivia Thirlby and starred opposite Juno Temple in the play "Jack & Diane," based on a lesbian werewolf drama, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2015.
2016-Present: Key Roles and Future Projects
In January 2016, Keough's next film, "Lovesong," a lesbian drama, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by So Yong Kim, the film centers on the relationship between two best friends played by Keough and Jena Malone, who fall in love with each other. Keough's performance in the film received positive reviews.
Keough also took on significant roles in the television series "The Girlfriend Experience," based on Steven Soderbergh's film of the same name. She played a successful law student who turns to escorting in the series' first season, which premiered in April 2016 on Starz. Keough's performance in "The Girlfriend Experience" received critical acclaim and earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
In addition to this, in 2016, Keough appeared in the drama film "American Honey," directed by Andrea Arnold, alongside Shia LaBeouf. The film premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival in competition, where it won the Jury Prize. Keough received praise for her role in the film and was nominated for Best Supporting Female at the Independent Spirit Awards. In the same year, she appeared in "The Discovery," directed by Charlie McDowell. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2017, and was released on Netflix on March 31, 2017. Later, she co-starred with Katherine Keener and Anton Yelchin in the drama "We Don't Belong Here" (2017), portraying a dysfunctional family's daughter, a role that was filmed in 2014.
Keough's next film was "It Comes at Night," a horror film with a psychological theme, in which she acted alongside Joel Edgerton and Christopher Abbott. The film was directed by Trey Edward Shults. It was released theatrically in the United Kingdom and the United States in the summer of 2017. In August 2017, it was announced that Keough had launched her own production company called "Felix Culpa," in collaboration with producer Gina Gammell. The company aims to adapt three novels, including "Sweet Lamb of Heaven: A Novel," "Heartthrobs," and "The Curse of Beauty: The Scandalous & Tragic Life of Audrey Munson," the first of which was already in development.
In August 2017, Keough also appeared in Steven Soderbergh's heist comedy "Logan Lucky." In 2018, she appeared in several films, including the independent drama-thriller "Welcome the Stranger," followed by the Netflix-released thriller "Hold the Dark," directed by Jeremy Saulnier, and the television series "Barry," directed by Barry Levinson. She starred in "Peter Pan," a biographical film about Peter Pan based on J.M. Barrie's life. The film was released via HBO in April 2018.
In May 2018, Keough made appearances in two films at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival: Lars von Trier's controversial psychological horror film "The House That Jack Built," which later had an extended cut released by IFC Films, and David Robert Mitchell's neo-noir "Under the Silver Lake," which had a limited release in the United States in April 2019.
Subsequently, Keough took on a pivotal role in the haunting psychological thriller "The Lodge" (2019), a film that weaved a tale of a woman ensnared in the clutches of a cult-like environment. Premiering initially at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival before its theatrical release in February 2020, "The Lodge" thrust Keough into the spotlight once more. Her portrayal garnered widespread acclaim, with critics lauding her performance as a tour de force. Michael Roffman from Consequence of Sound hailed it as her "defining career moment," while Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times marveled at her magnetic screen presence, noting, "[Keough] can seize a scene with electrifying intensity."
In the wake of this success, Keough graced the screen opposite Alicia Vikander in "Earthquake Bird" (2019), a spellbinding thriller adapted from Susanna Jones' enthralling 2001 novel. Having made its debut at the British Film Institute in October 2019, the film later made its digital premiere on Netflix in November of the same year.
As the curtains rose on 2019, Keough secured a role in the Netflix-produced psychological thriller "The Devil All the Time." This film, based on Donald Ray Pollock's spellbinding 2011 novel, embarked on its production journey in the spring of that year, ultimately streaming on Netflix in September 2020.
The year also witnessed Keough's entry into the captivating Amazon series "Daisy Jones & The Six." Set in the vivacious backdrop of the 1970s, Keough took on a substantial role as a rock virtuoso. In a remarkable display of versatility, she lent her vocal prowess to the fictitious album "Aurora," a part of the band's mystique. This sonic creation materialized on March 1, 2023, leaving an indelible mark.
Transitioning into January 2020, the Sundance Film Festival welcomed the premiere of "Zola," a magnetic blend of comedy and drama that put Keough's acting prowess in the limelight once again.
Fast-forward to 2022, and Keough embraced the world of directing and production in tandem with Gina Gammell for the film "War Pony." Unveiling its splendor at the prestigious 2022 Cannes Film Festival, this cinematic creation marked a defining moment for Keough as she clinched the esteemed Camera d'Or award for Best First Feature.
Personal Journey and Life Events of Danielle Reilly Keough
Stepping into the realm of personal life, let's explore some of the significant moments in Riley Keough's journey:
A Union in Napa: The month of February in 2015 witnessed a momentous occasion as Riley Keough joined hands in marriage with the daring Australian stuntman, Ben Smith-Petersen. This joyous event unfolded amidst the picturesque landscapes of Napa, California, resonating with the love that had blossomed between them. Interestingly, their paths had first intertwined during the exhilarating filming of "Mad Max: Fury Road."
Heartfelt Losses: Life's journey often takes unexpected turns, and for Riley Keough, it included profound losses. In a heart-wrenching turn of events, her brother, Benjamin Storm Keough, departed from this world through an act of self-inflicted sorrow in July 2020. A somber reminder that even within the realm of fame and glamour, real struggles can lurk.
A Mother's Farewell: The pages of life turned once again with the news of Riley's mother, Lisa Marie Presley's passing. On that fateful day, January 12, 2023, the world lost a creative soul to a heart attack. Lisa Marie, at the age of 54, left behind memories that would forever resonate in the hearts of those who admired her. Riley Keough commemorated her mother's legacy with a heartfelt tribute, a poignant reminder of the bonds that tie us together.
New Beginnings: Amidst the shadows of sorrow, rays of hope often emerge. During the moments of remembrance, Riley Keough and her husband unveiled a joyful revelation – the birth of their daughter in August 2022. A poignant testament that even in the face of loss, life's circle continues, and new chapters unfold.
In crafting this unique presentation, I've sought to capture the essence of Riley Keough's personal journey, shaping her life events into a narrative that highlights both the joys and challenges that have marked her path.
