Riley Keough Reflects on Life with Stepfather Michael Jackson
Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley and daughter of the late Lisa Marie Presley, recently shared a rare glimpse into her life with her former stepfather, Michael Jackson. In an emotional appearance on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, Keough opened up about her childhood memories from the time her mother was married to the "King of Pop" between 1994 and 1996. Although their marriage was one of the most talked-about unions in the entertainment world, for young Riley, life with Jackson felt surprisingly normal.
Keough reflected on how, despite the public’s fascination with her family's life, day-to-day activities seemed ordinary to her. “I understand now that my life wasn’t normal, but at the time it just felt like regular, married life,” she explained. Jackson, who Keough affectionately called "Mimi" due to her brother Benjamin’s difficulty pronouncing his name, was involved in typical parental routines, like taking her to school.
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Lisa Marie Presley’s marriage to Michael Jackson happened swiftly—just 20 days after her divorce from musician Danny Keough. In her memoir From Here to the Great Unknown , published posthumously with Riley's help, Lisa Marie Presley shared intimate details about her time with Jackson. She revealed how they reconnected in 1993, leading to their whirlwind romance. According to Lisa Marie, Jackson professed his love in a dramatic setting, proposing marriage during a quiet moment in his hotel room.
Despite their fame and the intense public scrutiny they faced, Lisa Marie remembered Jackson for his personal qualities. She described him as "remarkably normal" in their private moments, contrasting with the enigmatic and guarded persona he displayed to the world. Keough echoed this sentiment, recalling that Jackson was someone who craved genuine connection, something her mother provided.
Lisa Marie and Jackson’s relationship wasn’t without its challenges, though. As Lisa Marie noted in her memoir, their marriage was strained by Jackson’s increasing reliance on painkillers and the pressures of public life. Their highly publicized kiss at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards, while shocking to the audience, only masked deeper issues within their marriage. Ultimately, Lisa Marie filed for divorce in 1995, though the two maintained a complicated connection for years after.
Keough’s recent remarks come as part of the emotional journey she undertook to complete her mother's memoir, which was unfinished at the time of Lisa Marie's passing in 2023. Working through her mother’s notes and voice recordings, Riley found it both heart-wrenching and cathartic to bring the book to life. She reflected on the experience of hearing Julia Roberts narrate the audiobook, which allowed her to appreciate her mother’s story from a fresh perspective.
Through her candid recollections, Keough offered fans a rare and touching glimpse into her family’s complex history. Her reflections on life with Michael Jackson and the deep bond she shared with her mother highlight the unique world they inhabited—one filled with both extraordinary experiences and profound personal challenges.
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