Podcrushed - Riley Keough

Episode Date: December 11, 2024

Riley Keough (Under The Bridge, Daisy Jones & The Six) regales the hosts with stories of her early dual-life -- the ultra shy kid who once tried to run away from her own birthday party, and the budding performer who was discovering the same elation of being on stage as her grandfather Elvis Presley. Riley also tells stories from her new book, From Here To The Great Unknown, about her relationship with her mother Lisa Marie Presley and the complexities of their family.    Follow Podcrushed on socials:Tiktok Instagram X Visit rosettastone.com/podcrushed for 50% off unlimited access to 25 language courses for the rest of your life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lemonada Tell us about your personality. Oh, my God. Can you just describe it very minutely? And then also just like, think of a few stories, I think. I think that, like, I find talking about myself really cringy. Yeah. Well, so this is, you know.

Well, buckle up. Buckle up for the rest of your press cycle. Welcome to Podcrushed. We're hosts. I'm Penn. Nava, and I'm Sophie. And I think we could have been your middle school besties. Telling each other, I think you're pretty.

Pretty ugly. Harsh. It sounds worse coming from me. Welcome to Pod Crush. What we're laughing about is the fact that Sophie was just a terrible interviewer. I was like AMA? UES. What are the acronyms?

The last thing you'll hear from me in this interview is me scrambling over what's up dog. Okay, that's a little Easter egg for you That's the last thing I say After that I said I'm not talking anymore I'm sorry Did I punch down on that one? No, no, you're doing great, sweetie Am I doing great?

No, anyway, moving on to our guest Today we have Riley Kyo The actor you might know from work in shows Like Daisy Jones in The Six And Under the Bridge and plenty of films as well Riley happens to be the granddaughter of Elvis The Elvis, which I I only mentioned because her new book

From Here to the Great Unknown, she co-wrote with her late mother Lisa Marie Presley. And that book takes a very deep look into her life and the life of her mother and that of her family. The book is really introspective and

stunning. And our conversation with Riley was as well. So please stay with us. We will be right back. Does anyone else ever get that nagging feeling that their dog might be bored. And do you also feel like super guilty about it? Well, one way that I combat that feeling is I'm making meal time everything it can be for my little boy, Louis. Nom Nom does this with food that actually engages your pup senses with a mix of tantalizing

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Spelled try n-o-m.com slash podcrushed. Hey, it's Lena Waith. Legacy Talk is my love letter to black storytellers. Artists who've changed the game and paved the way for so many of us. This season, I'm sitting down with icons like Felicia Rashad, Loretta Vine, Ava DuVernay, and more. We're talking about their journeys, their creative process, and the legacies they're building every single day. Come be a part of the conversation. Season two drops July 29th. Listen to Legacy Talk wherever you get your podcast, or watch us on YouTube. You've obviously spent the last couple, if not several, if not many more years excavating to some degree like this not only your own history but your family's

history and so i wonder if just for a moment just like sort of you know step outside of all that and and and you know who is riley at 12 knowing that i met you i think when we were like 15 or something or did you write or 16 yeah something like that i don't i can't exactly recall but so even just before that like who who was that that girl becoming a woman. I was extremely quiet and introspective and observant. I think I would get called shy a lot, but I never felt shy. You know, I think I just was more of a listener.

And I think as I began to get older and probably throughout my teen years, and particularly like my late teen, I'm kind of giving a whole overview, and then we can go back to 12. Oh, yeah, yeah. I think I realized that people started perceiving that to be rude or odd. So I think I forced myself into being a more talkative person. But I think at 12, I definitely still would have been very quiet and introspective and soft, I would say. And I remember my 12th birthday was actually...

I was in school, and my mom had, it was the first year she did this thing that she began to do every year, which is she called this, or she had this, like, dancing man in an ape costume wearing a tutu come to my school yard with a boom box with this birthday song on it. And I was like, and I remember that he showed up and was like, is Riley here? And I ran into these little forts on the schoolyard and just started sobbing. She started this at 12. This is how 12 started for me. And did she really try to do that again on 13 and 14? Oh, she gave it a break for a few years.

I think it came back at like 15 and then 18 and then, you know, 25. So last year, my family did it for me. So, but this was, yeah, that was my introduction to 12. But I was really sensitive and quite internal and soft, I would say. And that was probably around the time when I was also beginning to kind of have interest in performing and writing and all of those things. and theater like I was in you know and trying to do theater in school and I think I knew like I knew by that time in my life

I knew that I wanted to be in storytell or storytell film theater I didn't really know exactly what the direction was but I definitely think that there was an awareness there for sure by 12 is it true that you had some kind of unique moment with Mouman Rouge I mean, I read this. I don't know that it's like... This was also 12. Yeah.

Wow. Yeah. This was also 12, I believe. Yeah. So, okay. So I think that the sort of landscape in terms of me as a performer or whatever I am was, like, I knew that I was going to be in film or theater. But I think I had kind of like a rough introduction to theater as a kid because I was kind of given the idea that I wasn't right. for theater because I was too quiet or like I had a teacher who was like go outside and yell

in the parking lot to say your lines really loud and and and I had I was that was kind of always the tone like I was given really small roles like in like midsummer night's dream I was like mustard seed the fairy you know like I was never again I was given the idea that like this was not for me kind of but I also had this knowing that I was a performer so So, and I think, like, when I try and understand it, I think that my instinct was kind of, like, I think that, like, naturalism as a performer was always my thing. And I think that I didn't understand as a kid how to, I guess, like, implement my instincts in theater. But, you know, and it wasn't like a big performance versus a small performance thing. I think it was just, like, about authenticity for me.

Um, that's probably a better word than naturalism. Like I, I, I, I think that if I wasn't feeling authentic, I felt really silly. And so I kind of like didn't understand how to, like, where this was going to go, my desire to tell us to perform. Um, because I think, yeah, it was kind of a weird, like, it wasn't like, I wasn't one of the kids in school who was like always the lead in the thing, you know, at all. Um, and then I had a few experiences with film that, were really impactful. And the first one was that I was on my very first film set when I was probably 12. This is actually really, wow.

You guys, we made a contest for you, Riley. You guys picked a, like, really great age for me. Yeah, we think so. And I, yeah, I was definitely like 12. I don't think I was even 13. So, yeah. And my mom was actually dating Nicholas Cage at the time. And he was directing his first film.

Right. And it was my first time on a movie set, and I was sitting at the monitor and I had a headset on. And the room they were shooting in was right next door. And I think it was actually like James Franco and I don't even remember somebody. And I had the headset on. And I remember really the experience of going, wait, I can't hear them if I take the headset off. And they're right there. I can see them. And I was like, wow, like maybe there's. Something to like film acting. Maybe that's my thing, you know? And I was like, that's so cool. They can talk normally and they're able to perform. I don't know. Something sort of clicked for me. And then Moulin Rouge also I saw the same time period.

My mom, I was actually me and my mom and Nicholas Cage. She went to go see it. Oh, really? In the theater. And I remember just being like, wow. Oh, you know, so something about that film in the experience was really, like, moved me. And the music and the theatrics of it, it was just so, like, intense for me as a 12-year-old me. It was intense for everybody.

Yeah, it was intense for everybody. But, like, in that right moment, I was like, this is what I want to do. Like, I remember that feeling of, like, I want to be in there. You know. You described yourself as sensitive, like that other people described you as shy. So there's like, I have those words swirling in my head. But then also I have these stories from your book from here to the Great Unknown about your mom as a kid kind of like running the roost at Graceland and being sort of like a tyrant and on these golf carts. And I wondered there was that sensitive shy side, but was there also like a cheekiness that you inherited from.

her? Oh, for definitely I'm cheeky. Like, I don't think I'm shy, you know, I, I, I don't think I'm shy at all. I think I just was quiet and I didn't really, like, I just was more of a, like, listener, you know? And I think that, that, that, uh, I am very cheeky and silly and, and, uh, and, you know, I have that wildness, too. Um, but she, my mom was actually really shy, like properly, uh, shy. Uh, shy. And she would kind of her way of around the shyness was to kind of close herself off. So she could be perceived as like, I guess, like abrasive or something. I don't know. But yeah, I would say that, yes, I definitely have that, I guess, like, cheekiness in me.

Do you have any stories that come to mind? my gosh I don't know if there's stories I think it's just like my personality maybe tell us about your personality oh my god can you can you just describe it

very minutely and then also just like think of a few stories I think that like I find talking about myself really cringy well so this is well buckle up

buckle up for the rest of your press cycle I'm curious like how did your How did your parents respond to this as you were a budding performer? Well, they knew that, like, I would say that my desire to write and direct was probably more obvious when I was younger than to act. I think that acting was kind of a bomb dropped on them. Like, I don't think they would have seen that necessarily coming because I was so inherently, like, quiet. Right.

But you were writing. That's interesting. I did. I wrote a lot. And I would write little plays and film. I would make movies, but I was never in them. So I was like, I would like film my friends and write the movie. You know, these obviously, they're not, they're ridiculous, like 13-year-old movies.

But, you know, I would go into my mom's little office and edit them and score them. And with my dad, like I just was always kind of. drawing costumes and writing little play ideas and so I think that they were very supportive of me all the time I think that when I said I wanted to act they both had uh they both were kind of like really like come on like don't too fat a little bit but I think it was coming from like not wanting me to fail uh to to to to fail. Riley I'm curious you know 12 to 15 is a time where people are really forming their sense of identity. And you might have been born into the most famous American family in history, maybe, the Presley family.

And I'm curious sort of like you grappling with that legacy of tragedy, too, in the family. You know, the way that your grandfather passed, the way that that loss shaped your mom. And you have this anecdote of when you listen to Elvis's music, sometimes you'd feel angry because you knew how his loss shaped your mom. And so I'm just curious to hear that kind of in your own words. What that was like for you, particularly at a young age, as you're developing a sense of self. Yeah, I guess the grief was there since I was born, you know? And I definitely had an awareness as a child,

and I think children are very perceptive and that there was like a sadness there. And then as I got older, I think that I recognize that his death, was the root of that pain that I could feel in her. And so I did have like, but, you know, it's, I mean, it's, it's also, it also informed my relationship with him. And I think my, my relationship and my siblings' relationship was, had a sadness to it with his music, with him, because we were aware that, that, that, of my

mom's story and her loss and all that. So, um, I think. that it also you know maybe like very early on shaped this the part of me that became a sort of a caretaker in my family probably

I just think of it as a force that everyone is contending with like every single person because our culture is just completely entangled in the force of it of celebrity and fame and I don't really think that it has to do with any one person at all

and um the the idea of anybody growing up and having to contend with those forces earlier than most is uh yeah it's just it's just really interesting and tender and it's and it's i mean it's for a for kids to be having contending with grief and caretaking like that i think is uh it's tough but it's also beautiful you know it's poignant yeah and i think it's like very common. I think that that's the thing that people ask me to describe, you know, what what it was like to grow up in the world I grew up in. But it's, I don't know where to start because it all feels very normal to me. Like, that's something that actually happened. When I was writing the book, I would send it to my publisher and go, I could include this story, but it just

feels really boring. Like, I don't know why. And he was like, none of this is boring to people. And, And I think that, like, it's really hard for me to have that perspective. Sure, yeah. Like, I can, obviously, I have an awareness that it's unique and totally crazy to people, but it just felt very normal. Like the, I could imagine if you came into fame actually might be more difficult because it could feel really intense. But from my sort of earliest memories, it was that sort of intense.

kind of life of security and the media and like that kind of experience so it's kind of all that I knew so I didn't feel I mean I'm sure it had like effects on me as a child but I didn't feel I don't remember ever ever feeling like negative feelings towards it actually that's profound actually I was reading about and hearing you talk about your process for writing this book and it sounded like you had a selection of recordings that your mom had already done that you combed through after her passing to be able to work on the book. And I wondered in that process, when you're writing anything, I think, and that's sort of a memoir, looking back on your life, I think there's times when it's just, you're simply

recording the memories. And then there are times where you are more reflective and you sort of realize new things about why you are the way that you are or how this experience shaped you. And I wondered if you had any moments like that while you were writing in learning about your mom, doing this deep dive on her and then also your own memories. I think that like my curse in life would be that I am like way too introspective. So I think that to the point where it's like a neurosis maybe. So I think that like there wasn't anything that I was like, wow, I didn't see this, you know, tie to this. I think that there were, what I had to do because it was so deeply personal was kind of find a way to, which I think you always do when you're a artist is like, is like, I was kind of in my like writing brain or storytelling brain. when I was doing it because it also offered some kind of like distance as well um so with that lens

I think that there were a lot of parallels that maybe I didn't notice between my mom and you know because I think you're looking for that sort of thing when you're writing I between my mother and her father between my mother and myself between myself and my daughter um so I think that the the and I don't mean in the in a trauma way not generational trauma because that feels very forefront and obvious but like uh like little things like like the the tone we talk to our children and the the things we like like my mom in my my my view of my mom was that like this is really uh simple not profound thing but like she loved horses and I I never realized until I wrote this book that her mom, like, had that sort of same sense of freedom when, when riding horses.

And her mom's, you know, and then it made me reflect on her mother's experience as a child, basically growing up at Graceland also and having this, like, freedom and riding horses. And so there were all these kind of, like, parallels that I guess I hadn't seen before. Riley, I am curious to hear a little bit more about your school experience and some sort of traditional things that we all experience, like your first love, your first heartbreak. Yeah. Yeah, because also, like for a moment, you did say school, but then you also said, like me, you didn't really finish anything. What would, when did that start? Like, just give us a little bit of the archery. I'll give you the, I'll give you the tragedy, which is my school, school experience.

My mom did not value an education. My father was very much like the one who was like they need to go to school, they need to have a schedule, but they were divorced. And also my mom was kind of the boss. Like my dad tried as best, but she was kind of the one who was going to make the decisions. And she just like, her theory was kind of like, I think you guys were going to be in the arts and like you don't need to know any of this. That was like where she came from. And so she was like, would pull us out. I mean, also our life was insane.

Like we were traveling 24-7. So it was also, it became this thing where it was really hard for us because we'd leave town and come back three weeks later and I would be behind. So it always felt like I was like not where I needed to be, which then triggered this feeling of like that I was like inherently like stupid or something. And that was over and over again because it was always the same thing I'd get pulled out of school,

put back in school, couldn't keep up with the work. And to the point where I think when I was like nine or ten, I got kicked out of school because I was so far behind. And they kicked me out and then I had a math tutor

who was amazing. But it created this like feeling in myself that I'm like an idiot. Like it did. And I didn't finish. Like I think I graduated third. grade but I don't think I ever made another graduation like it was this constant like moving of schools trying to catch up like being tutored kind of a thing and and because like I viewed myself as

like it because I I guess I like because of that experience I took that as I am dumb or something like whatever but actually what I realized when I got older is like that I like would have really really probably excelled in school had I, like, not been taken out 24-7, you know, and I really wanted to go to college. And so, you know, I never, I basically, by the time I was 16, we, my brother and I, um, were homeschooled. And, and we had a teacher in our, uh, in our school, in our class, I mean, my living room. And, uh, I just wouldn't show up. Like, I was like, smoking cigarettes and leaving. Yeah. And I just did that. I like smoked at the time and I was like also, you know, at this point I was also like traveling a lot. Like I was very, yeah, I was kind of like what is the point of this at this point for me? My brother finished, which was great. I didn't. I never finished high school. I probably got like a ninth grade education and then and then was like see ya. And I wish that wasn't the case. And I wish that I was able, like, I wish I'd been able to graduate and go to film school and do the things that I wanted.

But that wasn't, like, my trajectory. My trajectory was feeling like I was really dumb until I was in my mid-tonnies. Stick around. We'll be right back. All right. So, let's just, let's just real talk, as they say, for a second. That's a little bit of an aged thing to say now. That dates me, doesn't it? But no, real talk. How important is your health to you, you know, on like a one to ten? And I don't mean in the sense of vanity, I mean in the sense of like you want your day to go well, right?

You want to be less stressed. You don't want it as sick. When you have responsibilities, I know myself, I'm a householder, I have two children and two more on the way, a spouse, a pet, you know, a job that sometimes has its demands. So I really want to feel like when I'm not getting to sleep and I'm not getting nutrition, when my eating's down, I want to know that I'm being held down some other way physically. You know, my family holds me down emotionally, spiritually, but I need something to hold me down physically, right? And so honestly, I turned to symbiotica, these vitamins and these beautiful little packets that they taste delicious. And I'm telling you, even before I started doing ads

for these guys, it was a product that I really, really liked and enjoyed and could see the differences with the three that I use I use I use the the what is it called the liposomal vitamin C and it tastes delicious like really really good comes out in the packet you put it right in your mouth some people don't do that I do it I do it I think it tastes great I use the liposomal glutathione as well in a morning really good for gut health and although I don't need it you know anti-aging and then I also use the magnesium L3 and 8 which is really good for for I think mood stress. I sometimes use it in the morning, sometimes use it at night. All three of these things

taste incredible. Honestly, you don't even need to mix it with water. And yeah, I just couldn't recommend them highly enough. If you want to try them out, go to symbiotica.com slash podcrushed for 20% off plus free shipping. That's symbiotica.com slash podcrushed for 20% off plus free shipping. As the seasons change, it's the perfect time to learn something new. Whether you're getting back into a routine after summer or looking for a new challenge before the year ends, Rosetta Stone makes it easy to turn a few minutes a day into real language progress. Rosetta Stone is the trusted leader in language learning for over 30 years. Their immersive, intuitive method helps you naturally absorb and retain your new language on desktop or mobile whenever and wherever it

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learning. Get IXL now. And Podcrush listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL memberships when they sign up today at IXL.com slash podcrushed. Visit Iexel.com slash podcrushed to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. you know so this is this is when we would have known each other when you i think when i thought i was really dumb yeah i'm trying i'm trying to remember that was the last way how did we meet pen i mean so can i tell you because yes because i can't remember josh wise didn't you oh my god we met there josh wise yeah so so here's the thing we do have like classic questions about first crushes and heart breaks and that kind of stuff is there something you want to uh share there

My first crush Like in my whole life The problem with me is I remember my whole life So I can take you back to like my three year old crush Or we could go five, six, seven How about middle school? What was like a memorable like crush at that time And a memorable heartbreak if there is one

Middle school So like my first like real kind of Yeah Okay so my first crush that was kind of real Like we held hands His name was Boone I was like a lab in or something. And we held hands at Disneyland and he wanted to kiss me and he would write me notes in school,

but I didn't want to kiss him because I was nervous. And then that was it. Like we were over. But then my first boyfriend, his name was Robert Hernandez, and he lived in my neighbor, not my neighborhood, but the neighborhood near mine. and I was like thought he was the coolest thing ever and like we kissed

and then we broke up because I cheated on him. How old was this? This was 13. Yeah. Yeah. I was a big cheater back at my name. That was definitely my thing.

Really? Were you a repeat offender? I was. Riley. Yep. What? First heartbreak? I don't know why I just thought this. When somebody cheated on you?

Someone cheated on me. Eventually, it got turned around on me. I think when I was about 17, I was cheated on after cheating on everybody else a lot. And that was really hard. That was my first probably big heartbreak. I don't want to call him out, but you can, you know, you could probably do some digging online. I'm just kidding. Is it one of the men I mentioned?

Well, post it in the captions. But I got cheated on. Yeah, it was horrible. Okay. Yeah, did that affect how you thought about cheating moving forward? Did it sort of impact you? Yeah.

I'm going to say yes. Really? I'm just kidding. It totally did. I definitely cheated after that again. But I think that it, like, I had a break from cheating. cheating, I would say. Like a solid, you know, year before I cheated again.

So funny. I don't know why this is so funny to me. I just remember how to have anyone to be so candid about it. I know. I feel like, I feel like teen teenagers just like, I don't know. Maybe they don't. Maybe just I just. No, no, no, no.

No. I mean, especially amongst our crew, I mean, that, to me, I've actually been reflecting myself on that period recently. Yeah. specifically about fidelity or infidelity I mean those words seem so like kind of grandiose compared to the way that teenagers have relationships if you think about like just pop music pop loves to everything

and I don't know how any teenager could take a relationship seriously and not just sort of be you know what I mean I think that like my method when I was a teenager was kind of like oh I'm in a relationship until I find another one and then I would because I wasn't like cheating. I wasn't like having a one night stand. I've never had that my life. Like I would find my next boyfriend and then it

would overlap kind of. Yeah. It wasn't like an affair. So you're just like a high-paced serial monogamous. Yes. Yeah. You're just moving faster than everyone else. You didn't get the chance to tell them. You're not an idiot. But here's what I will say in my defense. Like when I would I would tell them right away. I would go

oh my God, I just cheated and now we're breaking up and now he's my new bike. Right. So actually I think what I think I think I I think just a rapid-fire serial monogamous is closer. Yeah. It's closer to your disposition. Yes, totally. I'm a serial, I'm a, I'm a, yeah, I don't say I'm a serial cheater.

I'm a, I'm a serial jumper of ship. Yeah. Riley, one other classic question we ask everyone is if they have a memory that stands out as like particularly awkward, cringy, embarrassing from that time. from that time no this is a little before but i remember there was i was in theater school i was in i went to this pen where did you grow up um bro we live right next to one another in the same no it was it was that area in memphis like burbank i went to this like acting class called the lost studio did you ever hear about that it was on lebraia and there was a guy there that i thought was

really cute and he was like the one that would get the leads in the thing and like I would not I was like whatever supporting um and he came up to be one day and he was like you're really pretty no he what did he say he came up to me and he just went you're pretty and I was like oh my god and then he was like pretty ugly and I was like notified like totally ruined my like I was it was the first time I felt like deep shame embarrassment and and that really was the first thing I just thought of I wonder why he did that that's so mean I think about that I feel like that it's very bizarre that was a thing in middle school it's like you know what's up dog what do you mean what's up dog oh not much you know like those types of wordplay things so that

sucked yeah what was a question again I might have I don't know, I was actually just kind of, I was just sort of turned, I'm just caught up, but what were you just saying, Sophie? What were you? You don't know that thing. What did you just say? I was like, can you go get the up dog? And then the other person says, what, what are you talking about?

What's up dog? You're like, oh, I'm nothing much. You know, it's like you try to get someone to say. I feel like the pretty, you're pretty, pretty ugly. That's the lameest version of that that I've ever heard. But yes. Yeah, I was trying to get it out quick and so I got out wrong. Yeah, exactly.

But yeah, it was like a, it was like a mean version of that. Sophie's like it's like when someone says what's happened It was the normal version of that The normally cruel version of that Sophie's was like the non-existent G-rated version of it Kids are never that nice I just mean like probably

Hopefully in like the best case scenario He didn't I don't think he I mean I know he wouldn't have actually thought you were ugly of course like you're beautiful But hey it's subjective man He could have definitely thought that But he didn't have to tell me Yeah maybe but yeah

yeah that is it's okay anyway fuck that guy he who knows where he is right yeah we'll slip his name in the caption yeah we'll find him later

we'll find him so yeah maybe we can arc by the way how much time we have left guys we have like 15 minutes 15 minutes 15 minutes okay should we

we've kind of been dipping in and out of the book but like can you just can you give us a quick arc quickly of like so these you know teen years where which sounds so fluid when did you kind of like kind of nailed that you know when did you make this decisive move that this was your craft this is your calling you know and working consistently uh to to kind of like where you know the world started seeing you a few years back however long well um i think that around

18, because I knew I wanted to perform. I just like, I think that growing up in L.A., because everyone did it, I felt like, oh, I'm just going to be another person who's saying, I want to be an actor. So I kind of just kept it to myself, but then I started going, well, I need to go out on an audition because I think I was being pessimistic. I think that, like, my parents were afraid of me failing. And so I was like, okay, I'm going to wait. I also had this real, like, sense somehow that I wanted to wait to really work until I was 18.

Like, I wanted my teen years to be, uh, to life and to like live them. Um, and then I was like, I just need to, I need to like figure out, uh, if this is something I could really do, you know? Um, and then this is where nepotism came into play for me. my grandmother introduced me to her agent at WME and they were like you know we don't

we don't sign people on unless they're like actors like this is you are you like is this what you're going to do and I was like yeah for sure but I was terrified you know I'd only done school theater acting and

I never even went like on a commercial audition nothing and I just was like I have to do this like it was just that was just I just knew it was what I was going to do you know I don't know that sounds like woo-woo or something I just was like I know I'm an actor and then I went on the my very first audition I showed up and I left because I was too scared and I went home it was for the runaways but then I went back and you ran away and I booked it and I went and I went and I booked it and it was my very first audition and and I was like that's crazy

like I don't think that that's happens you know it was like um it was uh with Kristen Stewart and and Dakota Fanning who were at the time like massive and um yeah I left I was meant to audition for the drummer and then I I didn't show up and then they cast the drummer and then I think I like made up some reason why I couldn't go and then they were like okay well do you want to read for the sister or something and I was like yeah I have to I just have to do to try you know um and so i went in and then and yeah i just i got a call back and then i i booked it and um that was my i think that that really gave me the confidence to keep going because uh it's obviously like a really unique circumstance like i don't think anyone like

books their very first audition for a film um so i think it really made me feel like okay i'm because there was this kind of like is this like i don't know i was i was a bit apprehensive i think um sure yeah and uh and then in that moment i think i was like okay i i'm going to do this but you know the other thing to mention is that my mom was like very intense about like being a celebrity's child she was basically like if you're going to do anything everyone's going to think you're like you're going to be like a joke to people so if you're going to do something you have to be really good at it like you can't just try it you know and so I felt a lot of pressure I think um and um so that was kind of in my head and I and my brother's head like she was very much like

don't you can't just be like a celebrity kid like if you're if you're going to act or sing or whatever you're going to do like you have to be better at it or as good as everybody else And so I felt like I put a lot of pressure on myself, you know. And then, yeah, and then I booked that role. And then my acting career was pretty like common, like auditioning, not getting it. Auditioning, not getting it. And then I had the more like authentic experience, I would say. Riley, this is a sharp left turn.

But in the book, your mom talks about after Elvis died twice. a year she would have a visitation with him so what time people might call a dream but for her it wasn't a dream it was like a visit until your brother was born and I was curious um my mom passed my mom passed away like 10 years ago and I've had a few dreams that felt like visits and then others that just felt like dreams but it made me curious if you've ever had any visitations from any of your loved ones who passed I think I have you know I think that like what's different and I'm curious what your experience is is that like and I I in the ones that feel like a more visit kind of a dream like the person doesn't really talk to me it's just like their presence and that's

always what's weird because in dreams that doesn't that's not really in other dreams anyway about people like that's not what happens and for me when i've had uh like a more of a sort of visitation experience or what i think that to be it feels like the person's there but they're not saying anything it's just like their presence which is really particular i'm curious about your experience with that Have you had to me like that? That's so interesting. I've had two that felt like visits. And in one of them, I was just really sad.

And I kept telling people like, I wish my mom would hug me. And then I had a dream where she just hugged me. Right. And that was it. But I like really felt it. Yeah. And I was like, oh, that was a visit. And then in one dream, I was having like a crisis.

And I really needed her advice. And then she was like in a room. And she was like, I heard you needed to talk to me. Right. And I asked her in the dream, is this a dream or a visit? And she said, it's a visit. Right. And then I asked her a question.

And she answered a question. I didn't ask and then I asked her the question again and she wouldn't answer it and I woke up but I knew that she didn't approve. Right. Yeah, I think her not answering was letting me know she didn't approve. I think that's more that there, when it feels like a sort of visitation, it feels different or something.

Yeah, they did, those just definitely. Yeah. Yeah. And I did wake up like, oh yeah, that was a visit. Like it wasn't, I wasn't like, was it or wasn't I sort of knew that it was. Yeah, you sort of just know it is, right? Yeah. Like, yeah, I've had that experience for sure.

Yeah. Amazing. You also, no, I love that. that. I mean, this is actually where I would like to spend the entirety of the interview, just talking about dreams and spirituality. You also mention

like premonitions of a kind, which I think privately everybody has these kinds of experiences in life, and then there's only some people who talk about it publicly. What was your spiritual outlook growing up and what was your family's relationship to spirituality? Because then there's like

your particular family has all these particular experiences, but then every family has something you know so I'm just curious so yeah well I grew up with a dad who was like a really metaphysical guy like really kind of my whole life was like him reading he's he's he's he's he's not eccentric he's very grounded but very like um into numerology taro like spirituality like very was constantly reading kind of spiritual text um and And my family, or my mom was in Scientology for a lot of my life. So that was like the religious, uh, uh, experience.

But the thing that for me, like my experience with them and their spirituality and my spirituality was kind of like there was, I think I had a sense that both of my parents were searching for like a more profound understanding about why we're here all the time. didn't matter like how they were doing that that was kind of just my perception of them and and so like conversations around that were very like open in my house like and i think that i remember from a very young age kind of being in the freeway on the freeway like on the one-on freeway in la and looking around and looking outside of the cars and going like there's a guy in a car and a guy in a house and a guy in another car and like why am i not them and why am i me why am i having this experience like and I remember those feelings and I was in my family like I was very open like it was okay to say those things like like I remember kind of asking my dad really young like why what are we

doing here you know um which is so weird that that's like a taboo like I know it's actually crazy it's like literally we're here we should know why is there any other place on earth is there any job anybody has ever had is there any reason anybody's anywhere where it's weird to ask why you're there except life yeah exactly if you're at a job you need to know why you're there if you're at school you need to know why you're there but except life we're all like no no no no no no you can't talk about that yeah a hundred percent it's very sort of like Orwellian and you're like what the hell like this is like how like yeah it's like super woo-woo to be like why are we on this planet I really I hate that term woo-woo because it is such a cultural dismissal of

of the spirit of spiritual search and it's just It is, it's an annoying, sorry for using it. No, I understand, no, it's, it's a, it's a, I understand why you're using it. It's the, it's the, I don't even know what it means, honestly, you know, I think that like, I guess like, yeah, I mean like, yeah, I guess it's like a hippie kind of like a, like a head in the clouds, and I think that's the point. It's just like, it's just dismissing people. It's dismissing, you're right, it's, it's like calling somebody sort of like a hack or something, I guess. But, yeah, I think my, I have always sort of, maybe because of my dad and his relationship to spirituality, but been like very open and curious to like why, what we're doing here, right, you know, and purpose and reason and all of that stuff.

Well, before we head to the break, you two did what you seem to always be doing, which is, hey, out without me. Oh. What did you do? My sister wanted to make dinner for Penn. We had a little dinner party. I was the guest of honor. He was supposed to be the guest of honor, but I feel like Louis was the guest of honor.

Louis, for those listening who don't know, that was dog. Yeah. That was sweet little sausage dog. Yeah. What were your impressions of Louis? He, well, he looks at you, like, you clearly nuzzle him a lot. You clearly nuzzle him so much because he looks at you, he was just like, please touch me

touch me touch me touch me touch me touch me touch me touch me and then I touched him and he's just he just he's like he like melts and he already he feels like a very well-made handback he's like his coat and the quality of his skin now you know what to do you know come that day you know in about 14 years just skin that little guy

Sorry But before that But honestly I was I was marveling at just how Like he's just become a little A little what do you call it A little one of my trying to say A cuddlebag?

No well yes that's very sweet He is a cuttlebug And he's like a A cuddlebug gorgeous Beautiful The most beautiful dog in the world He's like What is the word I'm trying to think of

I can't think of it It's like goodness accessory? Yes, accessory. Thank you. Thank you. He was just like this sweet little love accessory. Oh, I love that's cute. You guys know that we are sponsored by Mave and I think I've ragged in the past about Mave keeping my dog's coat healthy and shiny. And I feel like Penn's reaction was validation. He was born with a beautiful coat, but I do feel like it's gotten nicer. And we get lots of compliments on his quote. I mean, I really did unprompted marvel at just the first. feeling of his coat and the sheen and the shine. He also said, oh, what, brave? I was like, what the? It's a Marvel of science, and

we won't be able to replicate it, surely. I don't know if we'll do it for the camera, but he's like, oh, really, well, brave, Perl. Yeah. So I know that I'll be using our podcast discount code to stock up on some bone broth for Louie. I'm going to add that and see if he just starts glittering, you know, if his

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about that role of that experience. Yeah. Well, it was a really unique experience for a lot of reasons. The first reason is actually because like primarily prior to Daisy Jones, like most of my career was like in like the, I guess like independent cinema. So like that was the first time I I was like, oh, I'm going to do something that was more commercial, which I really had never done before. So that experience in itself was really different for me. And the sort of mechanics of that, like it was something I wasn't used to. I had done television, but the only other show I did was like the whole purpose of the show

was them going, we were going to shoot this like an indie film, you know? So the whole world was very new to me. And at the time, and also I had to sing. And I think that I was excited by the challenge of that, because I'm not a singer or I'm not like a natural singer. And I knew that I could carry a tune and that I, you know, like I was aware that I had an ability to harmonize and pick up on harmonies and that kind of thing. But I wasn't a singer by any means or I'd never done one class of like vocal whatever in my life. Didn't do theater. It's musical theater, nothing like that. So I think that for me it was really the challenge of it that felt really fun. You know, like when you're acting, you get to do all kinds of really fun prep, but this felt like such a

stretch. And I was like, if I could do this and pull it off, that would be really cool. so it was it was really fun and really challenging because I had to learn to sing and also play guitar because I never literally had picked up a guitar ever which I think also feels weird given my family you're all musicians but I just never did well we have a final question that we ask everybody if you could go back to 12 year old Riley what would you do or say oh my gosh how would I do or say I think I would say like I'd try and have fun.

Yeah, sweet. Maybe. That's great. Yeah. You're not in a good time, girl. It's a wild ride. I don't know. Yeah.

Riley, so lovely to meet you. Thank you guys. Thanks so much for having you. That was very fun. Yeah, it's nice to see you again. You too, Penn. We are so excited that you can now listen to Podcrush to ad-free on Amazon Music.

In fact, you can listen to any episode. of Podcrashed, ad free right now on Amazon Music with an Amazon Prime membership. I'm curious. Why were you guys in Namibia? Mad Max. Were you in that movie pen? Yeah, I played Tom Hardy. It was due a wild experience.

What I'm missing something? Ha ha ha.