Placeholder Content Image

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at 30: more important, enjoyable and vital than ever

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-gaunson-265553">Stephen Gaunson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>The lavender painted bus named “Priscilla” continues to pick up new fans while never going out of favour with its legion of original devotees, 30 years after its release.</p> <p>The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was shot on location in and around Sydney, Broken Hill, Coober Pedy, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs over six weeks in 1993.</p> <p>Directed by Stephan Elliott, the film screened in the <em>Un Certain Regard</em> section of the May 1994 Cannes Film Festival, winning <a href="https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-885750952/view?sectionId=nla.obj-888737519&amp;searchTerm=priscilla+queen+of+the+desert&amp;partId=nla.obj-885806856#page/n13/mode/1up">critical and popular acclaim</a> for its positive portrayal of LGBTQI+ characters.</p> <p>Awards came, most notably for costume designers Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner who won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for their sparkly, sequin-filled costumes.</p> <p>The film’s cultural brilliance lies in juxtaposing the extreme flamboyance of the costumes and props against the equally extreme rural natural desert landscape. The unexpected revelation for audiences was how perfectly these contrasting elements harmonised.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wGWWeourHUg?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>A smash hit</h2> <p>Less than 12 months since its release, the Film Finance Corporation (FFC) of Australia had the rare success of <a href="https://if.com.au/why-the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-turned-the-government-a-profit-in-just-12-months/">fully recouping</a> its A$1.67 million investment.</p> <p>Initially hesitant due to Elliott’s disappointing box office return on his debut feature, Frauds (1993), the FFC was convinced after the screenplay gained attention at Cannes. The film exceeded predictions, grossing more than $16 million in Australia.</p> <p>The film was socially and critically embraced as an instant classic.</p> <p>Ask cinema employees from this time and they will all share similar memories of lines of people outside the cinema doors eager to watch and rewatch (and rewatch again) the musical road movie about a pair of drag queens (Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce) and a transgender woman (Terence Stamp) as they set out from Sydney on a bus journey across the Australian outback.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tex3dw3RjGk?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>The casting today seems like more of a sure bet than it did in 1994. Stamp was a British actor of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/12/terence-stamp-i-was-in-my-prime-but-when-the-60s-ended-i-ended-with-it">legendary status</a>, having gained critical accolades in the 1960s in films such as Billy Budd, The Collector and Far from the Madding Crowd. However Stamp was equally a <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-4869258/Terence-Stamp-79-bids-farewell-active-sex-life.html">regular tabloid subject</a> for his high-profile romances with film star Julie Christie and supermodel Jean Shrimpton.</p> <p>Would audiences be willing to go with the idea of this playboy as the trandsgender woman, Bernadette?</p> <p>It is now impossible to consider any actor better able to deliver Terrance Stamps’s deadpan sardonic lines so perfectly: “Don’t ‘Darling’, me, Darling. Look at you. You’ve got a face like a cat’s arse.”</p> <p>Pearce and Weaving also were a risk. Neither were box office marquee stars at the time. Pearce was known as a lovable Mike from the popular television soap opera, Neighbours. Weaving was a critically respected actor known more for his quirky small parts than as a star in his own right.</p> <p>Both were perfect casting, launching them onto Hollywood careers. Pearce as Adam was a remarkable revelation.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p2QiCFAQ-qQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>The chemistry and connection between the three lead actors makes the film truly succeed.</p> <p>Never do their performances seem showboating or forced. Each has their own arc, personality and journey. And when they climb Kings Canyon in full drag regalia at the film’s end there is something moving about what they have been able to accomplish together.</p> <p>A film that begins to be a slight and joyful comedy about drag performers becomes a deeper essay on the importance of lived experience and friendship (or, dare I say, mateship).</p> <h2>More vital than ever</h2> <p>Drag has a <a href="https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/3894/drag-through-decades-film-tv/">long history</a> in mainstream cinema with its own codes and references.</p> <p>The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is crucially different by it not being about “straight” men masquerading as women to mask their actual identity. Instead, Elliot’s film rather positively celebrates these characters in drag as their true and authentic selves.</p> <p>This film stood with others as a wave of Australian cinema in the 1990s unashamedly wanting to celebrate an Australia juxtaposing the blokey masculine stereotype.</p> <p>Ocker characters (men and women) appear in this film, but ultimately they are publicly humiliated for their homophobia. Bernadette kneeing in the groin the vicious and vulgar Frank (Kenneth Radley) often receives a big cheer from cinema audiences: “Stop flexing your muscles, you big pile of budgie turd,” Bernadette scorns.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9nc12yOA4jM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Perhaps the true star of the film were not the actors as much as the iconic 1976 Japanese model Hino Freighter Priscilla bus that became the set for several scenes in the film. Because the bus interior was such a small set, there was no room for the crew with many actually in shot, hiding under clothes and other props.</p> <p>The bus, long thought to be lost, was <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-12/bid-to-restore-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-bus/103699136">rediscovered</a> on a farm in New South Wales in 2019. The bus is currently being restored, with an aim to have it on display at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood, Adelaide Hills, in 2026. Perhaps it will be good timing for shooting the recently announced <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/04/priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-movie-sequel-original-cast-1235890358/">potential sequel</a>.</p> <p>30 years after its original release The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert seems more important, enjoyable and vital than ever. All aboard, Priscilla. Long may she run.</p> <hr /> <p><em>RMIT Capitol will be hosting a <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/thecapitol/events/2024/september/the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert">screening and introductory panel discussion</a> on September 11 with the film’s costume designer Tim Chappel, executive producer Rebel Penfold-Russell, Melbourne Queer Film Festival program director Cerise Howard, historian Kristy Kokegei and Stephen Gaunson.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/235424/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-gaunson-265553"><em>Stephen Gaunson</em></a><em>, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Metro Goldwyn Mayer</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-at-30-more-important-enjoyable-and-vital-than-ever-235424">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Movies

Placeholder Content Image

"Unbearable": Priscilla Presley breaks down mid-interview

<p>Priscilla Presley broke down mid-interview as she opened up about her grief, following the loss of her daughter <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/lisa-marie-presley-dies-at-age-54" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lisa Marie Presley</a>.</p> <p>In an interview with <em>Piers Morgan: Uncensored</em>, the star opened up about the pain from the loss of her loved ones, and how "it's like a large part of your life is taken away."</p> <p>"It was unbearable. I lost my mother, I lost my grandson, and I lost my daughter. It's still shocking that we don't have her," she told the host. </p> <p>She revealed that Lisa Marie was also struggling with the loss of her son Ben Keough, who took his own life in 2020 at the age of 27. </p> <p>"Losing Ben was the hardest thing for her," Priscilla explained. "He took his own life, and he was the love of her life, that child, she adored him. She would do anything for him, anything."</p> <p>She revealed that Lisa Marie herself had somewhat become suicidal just months before her passing, as she struggled to accept her son's death. </p> <p>"We were in Memphis, sitting up in the suite, and she said, 'Mum, I don't know if I want to be here,' and I go, 'What are you talking about?' 'You know, my Ben,' and she would go on about Ben and how she is still grieving,'" she said. </p> <p>"And this was a couple of months before." </p> <p>After revealing this information, Priscilla burst into tears and said "don't talk anymore about it" before requesting for a break. </p> <p>Priscilla did the interview in anticipation of the release of  Sofia Coppola's biopic about her life, <em>Priscilla, </em>which is set to release on November 3, 2023. </p> <p><em>Images: TalkTV</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Priscilla Presley's reaction to movie based on her life

<p>Priscilla Presley has shared how "emotional" she became after watching the new movie based on her life with her late rock star husband. </p> <p>The 78-year-old attended the premiere of the new film <em>Priscilla</em>, which was based on her 1985 memoir <em>Elvis &amp; Me. </em></p> <p>Priscilla took to the red carpet at the Venice International Film Festival on September 4th alongside director Sofia Coppola and the cast.</p> <p>"It was very difficult to sit and watch a film about you, about your life, about your love," she explained at a media call following the premiere screening.</p> <p>"Sofia did an amazing job. She did her homework, we spoke a couple of times and I really put everything out for her that I could," she added.</p> <p>Priscilla went on to explain why she thought her love story was so intriguing to a public audience, as she spoke about the early days of her relationship with the late rock star. </p> <p>"It was very difficult for my parents to understand that Elvis would be so interested in me and why, and I really do think [it was] because I was more of a listener," she said.</p> <p>"Elvis would pour his heart out to me in every way in Germany: his fears, his hopes, the loss of his mother which he never, ever got over. And I was the person who really, really sat there to listen and to comfort him. That was really our connection."</p> <p>She continued, "Even though I was 14, I was actually a little bit older in life, not in numbers. That was the attraction. People think, 'Oh, it was sex.' No, it wasn't. I never had sex with him. He was very kind, very soft, very loving, but he also respected the fact I was only 14 years old."</p> <p><em>Euphoria</em> star and Aussie actor Jacob Elordi plays Elvis in the new film, with Cailee Spaeny in the title role of Priscilla, which traces Priscilla's early years and relationship with the music icon.</p> <p>Elvis Presley estate officials reportedly slammed the movie, with <em><a title="TMZ" href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/06/22/elvis-presley-estate-officials-slam-priscilla-movie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TMZ</a></em> claiming unnamed officials were displeased with news of the production, labelling it a "money grab."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Movies

Placeholder Content Image

Priscilla Presley's rare snap with her granddaughters

<p>Priscilla Presley has shared a rare photo with her granddaughters, celebrating an important family milestone. </p> <p>The widow of Elvis Presley posted the snap on her Instagram account, smiling with her granddaughters Riley Keough and twins Finley and Harper Lockwood.</p> <p>The four women posed as they celebrated the Lockwood's graduation, with Priscilla writing, "Happy Graduation girls! You're now in high school!"</p> <p>The post was flooded with well wishes and congratulations, with one fan commenting, "So happy to see the family together!"</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctj6m5zPG6r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctj6m5zPG6r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Priscilla Presley (@priscillapresley)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The post comes after the settlement announcement last month of a dispute in which Presley questioned the validity of her late daughter Lisa Marie Presley's will.</p> <p>Lisa Marie Presley died in January after being hospitalised following an apparent cardiac arrest at her home in California. </p> <p>Priscilla raised the dispute over a 2016 amendment to her daughter's will which stated Lisa Marie Presley had removed her mother as a co-trustee.</p> <p>Presley's attorney, Ronson J. Shamoun, told Judge Lynn Scaduto at a court hearing in Los Angeles in mid-May that "the parties would like to report that they've reached a settlement."</p> <p>"The families are happy," Shamoun told reporters outside court. "Everyone is happy, unified, together and excited for the future."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Priscilla Presley challenges Lisa Marie’s will

<p>Priscilla Presley has taken her late daughter’s trust to court mere weeks after Lisa Marie’s death on January 12. </p> <p>Priscilla allegedly discovered a document from 2016 that concerns an amendment to the trust. The actor and business woman reportedly filed documents that challenge this “purported 2016 amendment” to Lisa Marie’s will, and has asked that it be deemed “invalid”.</p> <p>Said amendment ousted Priscilla as trustee, instead naming Lisa Marie’s eldest daughter, Riley Keough, and her late son, Benjamin Keough, as co-trustees. However, Benjamin Keough passed away in 2020, leaving Riley as the sole trustee to their late mother’s estate. Priscilla claims that she and Barry Siegel, Lisa Marie's former business manager, were appointed co-trustees in 1993.</p> <p>Lisa Marie was the sole heir to Elvis Presley’s fortune after his death in 1977. The Graceland mansion is reported to be worth more than $100m USD (approximately $141m AUD).</p> <p>Priscilla questions the “authenticity and validity” of the amendment, and alleges that her daughter’s signature “appears inconsistent with her usual and customary signature” on the document from 2016, and even argues that Lisa Marie’s name had been spelled incorrectly. On top of this, Priscilla claims that the document wasn’t notarised.</p> <p>According to court documents, “Lisa Marie Presley appointed her mother, Petitioner, and her former business manager, Barry Siegel, as co-Trustees effective as of the date of the 2010 restatement.</p> <p>“The 2010 restatement further provides that Petitioner and Barry Siegel shall continue to serve as co-Trustees upon Lisa Marie Presley’s subsequent incapacity and/or death.</p> <p>“The Purported 2016 Amendment removed and replaced Petitioner and Barry as both current and successor Trustees of the Trust with Lisa Marie Presley as the current Trustee and naming Lisa Marie Presley’s daughter, Riley Keough, and son, Benjamin Keough, as successor co-Trustees of the Trust upon Lisa Marie Presley’s incapacity and/or 10 death.”</p> <p>Priscilla’s legal move comes less than one week after a memorial service for Lisa Marie at the Graceland estate in Memphis, Tennessee. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Elvis’ Honeymoon Hideaway hits the market

<p dir="ltr">The sprawling mansion that served as the hideaway for Elvis and Priscilla Presley has hit the market for just $US 5.65 million ($NZ 10 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">The Presleys called the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home in Palm Springs, California, home for the first few days of their marriage, renting out the mansion for $US 21,000 in 1967.</p> <p dir="ltr">Although he initially planned to use the home as the location of his wedding, he and Priscilla decided to tie the knot in Vegas instead after the media found out about his plans.</p> <p dir="ltr">Complete with a spa, pool, multiple private terraces and spectacular mountain views, the Presleys spent four days honeymooning at the mansion, before Elvis had to leave for filming.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hosting music icons isn’t the only claim to fame the mansion has though.</p> <p dir="ltr">The house, designed by William Krisel in 1960, came with a futuristic design and modern amenities - including vacuum ports, an indoor kitchen grill, and wall-mounted radios - that made it ahead of its time and earned it the nickname ‘The House of Tomorrow’ in 1962 by Look Magazine.</p> <p dir="ltr">In more recent years, the house has been branded as Elvis’ Honeymoon Hideaway and open to the public for tours.</p> <p dir="ltr">Given its design features, it’s certainly a house you wouldn’t want to miss seeing.</p> <p dir="ltr">Highlights include its spaceship-like winged roof, the stepped waterfall located at the centre of the house, carved-wood double-height entry doors, and a circular theme throughout.</p> <p dir="ltr">The living room area boasts stacked stone walls, built-in seating, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a “futuristic steel beaker-shaped fireplace hood and floating hearth”, according to the <a href="https://www.compass.com/listing/1350-ladera-circle-palm-springs-ca-92262/1149386563352880433/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listing</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The dining room area overlooks the living room from a raised platform and opens out to a terrace and the pool, while the kitchen boasts top-notch appliances and a circular centre island.</p> <p dir="ltr">Each of the bedrooms comes with an ensuite, with two also featuring sprawling terraces and the main bedroom accessed via a grand staircase.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home has been renovated in recent years, with many of its original architectural details being restored.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e619f1ec-7fff-8fd9-841a-f6f90b508c46"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Compass / Getty Images</em></p>

Real Estate

Placeholder Content Image

"WOW!": Priscilla Presley's first impressions of new Elvis movie

<p dir="ltr">Priscilla Presley, the late King of Rock and Roll’s former wife, has sung the praises of Baz Luhrman’s latest biopic about her ex-husband, after revealing she was invited to see it by the director himself, per <a href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/priscilla-presley-praises-elvis-biopic-austin-butler/f35c6bee-9538-4f8f-b286-4222cd1e9509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 76-year-old took to Facebook to praise Luhrman’s <em>Elvis</em>, which is due to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May before its theatrical release on June 23, after she was invited to the screening along with Jerry Schilling, a longtime friend of Elvis.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1b135aeb-7fff-7397-a2ea-63d6d297f955"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“For those curious about the new film <em>ELVIS</em>, Baz Luhrmann, the director, provided a private screening for me and Jerry Schilling at Warner studios recently,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/priscilla13.png" alt="" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Priscilla Presley (Facebook)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“This story is about Elvis and Colonel Parker’s relationship. It is a true story told brilliantly and creatively that only Baz, in his unique, artistic way, could have delivered.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Priscilla praised Austin Butler, who starred as the <em>Jailhouse Rock</em> singer, for his “outstanding” portrayal.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Halfway through the film Jerry and I looked at each other and said WOW!!!,” she added. “Bravo to him… he knew he had big shoes to fill. He was extremely nervous playing the part. I can only imagine.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Naked Gun</em> star also had plenty of praise for Tom Hanks, who played Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What a character he was,” Priscilla reflected. “There was two sides to Colonel, Jerry and I witnessed both. The story, as we all know, does not have a happy ending. But I think you will understand a little bit more of Elvis’ journey, penned by a director who put his heart and soul and many hours into this film.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Footage from <em>Elvis </em>was also shown at CinemaCon, with Butler appearing and telling the crowd about his approach to playing the famed musician.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The main thing I set out to find was his humanity,” the 30-year-old told the crowd. “He’s one of those individuals that has been lifted up to such an iconic status that he’s almost superhuman.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8068e39a-7fff-8feb-ab92-93656921c8c4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images / Warner Bros (YouTube)</em></p>

Movies

Placeholder Content Image

Priscilla Presley's son ties the knot

<p>Priscilla Presley's son, Navarone Garibaldi has married his girlfriend of four years.</p><p>The 34-year-old musician whose father is Brazilian screenwriter-turned-computer-programmer Marco Antonio Garcia (a.k.a. Marco Garibaldi) has married Elisa Achilli at Schloss Hunigen Hotel in Emmental Valley, Switzerland on Tuesday.</p><p>The couple who got engaged in December 2020, were surrounded by loved ones, including Navarone's mother Priscilla, as they exchanged vows in the stunning grounds of the 16th century castle.</p><p>Navarone gushed: 'I never thought I would find a counterpart that is so understanding and supportive. She makes everything we do effortless, and I can't imagine life without her.'</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVJjbdXpNLx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><p style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;line-height: 17px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-top: 8px;overflow: hidden;padding: 8px 0 7px;text-align: center"><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVJjbdXpNLx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 🎼Elisa Achilli (@skymoreblue)</a></p></div></blockquote><p>His new wife said: 'Navarone is truly the most genuine, sweet and sensitive man I have ever known and I'm so lucky that after four years of long-distance, we can start our life together as husband and wife.'</p><p>The pair said their 'I Do's' within the grounds of the luxurious Schloss Hünigen hotel in front of their loved ones, with Elisa wowing in an Anastasia Bull gown.</p><p>Navarone's mother Priscilla, 76, gushed that she 'couldn't be happier' for her son and his other half, telling the magazine: 'They've been together for four years and we all have been waiting patiently for this day.'</p><p>Alongside wedding snaps, she wrote to Instagram: 'Navarone and Elisa are MARRIED!!! The wedding was at the beautiful Schloss Hunigen Hotel in Switzerland. I couldn't be happier!'</p><p>Navarone, who is a musician, fronting the band Them Guns, and Elise announced their engagement in December 2020.</p><p>The wedding comes just over a year after Priscilla and her family were left 'devastated' by the death of her grandson Benjamin Keough, 27.</p>

Relationships

Placeholder Content Image

Priscilla Presley’s Beverly Hills mansion up for sale

<p>Priscilla Presley has finally decided to part with the Beverly Hills mansion she called her “sanctuary” for so many years thanks to its beauty and seclusion.</p> <p>According to the LA Times, Ms Presley – now 70 years of age – has listed the home for $16m, after she bought the mansion in the 1970s to be close to her ex-husband Elvis.</p> <p>Built in 1951 and listed with Beverly Hills Real Estate company <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hiltonhyland.com/" target="_blank">Hilton &amp; Hyland</a>, the home boasts seven bedrooms, eight-and-a-half bathrooms, a tile-lined swimming pool, tennis court and more.</p> <p>The estate is set behind a gated entry way, and is tucked between lush trees providing privacy.</p> <p>“Available for the first time in over 45 years,” writes realtor Jonah Wilson in the listing, “this private enclave is nestled on over one acre of verdant grounds within the city limits of Beverly Hills”.</p> <p>Priscilla described the estate as a sanctuary because it's secluded, hidden behind a gate and surrounded by lines of trees.</p> <p>Inside, the house features vaulted ceilings, with exposed beams in dark wood and matching framed archways.</p> <p>Dark wood runs through the home, also featured in window panes, sculpted pillars throughout and panelling in the library/den combination room.</p> <p>A large ensuite has double sinks and mirrors on a dark wood vanity, with velvet drapes providing coverage to personal items. Stone work lines the glass shower, and tub tucked under a window.</p> <p>The swimming pool is surrounded by gardens, a covered seating area, stone work and a statue.</p> <p>A Steinway &amp; Sons grand piano sits under a chandelier in the corner of one of the rooms. Check out just some of the amazing interior and exterior images below.</p> <p><strong>IMAGES:</strong> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hiltonhyland.com/" target="_blank">Hilton &amp; Hyland Beverly Hills Real Estate Agents</a></p>

Real Estate

Placeholder Content Image

Priscilla Presley speaks out following tragic loss of grandson Benjamin

<p><span>Following the tragic loss of Benjamin Keough, Priscilla Presley has spoken out.</span><br /><br /><span>The 75-year-old broke her silence in a Facebook post on July 23, almost two weeks after Benjamin was found deceased in his mother, Lisa Marie Presley’s LA home.</span><br /><br /><span>The LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office has since confirmed the death was a suicide.</span><br /><br /><span>He was 27.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.328320802005px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837040/presley-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3503b68ca7c446749f691d224a7ed0c5" /><br /><br /><span>"These are some of the darkest days of my family's life. The shock of losing Ben has been devastating," Priscilla wrote in a public statement she posted.</span><br /><br /><span>"Trying to put all the pieces together of all the possible whys has penetrated my soul."</span><br /><br /><span>Priscilla was married to Benjamin's grandfather, Elvis Presley and has said that the death has impacted her family greatly.</span><br /><br /><span>Benjamin was the only grandson of Elvis and the only son of Lisa Marie and her ex-husband, Danny Keough.</span><br /><br /><span>Lisa wrote how adored he was by his big sister, actress Riley Keough, and younger half-sisters Harper and Finley Lockwood, as well as Priscilla's own son, Navarone Garibaldi.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CC584XIDOkw/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CC584XIDOkw/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Mimi at the beach (@revamoore506)</a> on Jul 21, 2020 at 6:16am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>"Each day I wake up I pray it will get better. Then, I think of my daughter and the pain she is going through as she was a doting mother," Lisa went on to say.</span><br /><br /><span>"Ben's father, Danny, who is completely lost, as Ben was his only son. Riley, so loving and so close to him; Harper and Finley, who absolutely adored Ben. Navarone, who struggles deeply with loss and death.</span><br /><br /><span>"Rest In Peace Ben, you were loved."</span></p> <p><strong><span>If you or anyone you know needs immediate support, contact Lifeline on <a href="tel:0800543354">0800 543 354</a> or text HELP (4357) for free, 24/7, confidential support.</span></strong></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Priscilla Presley on Elvis: “He knew what he was doing”

<p>Priscilla Presley, the former wife of rock and roll superstar Elvis Presley, has spoken about her late husband’s problems in a dramatic interview for a new documentary, <em>Elvis Presley: The Searcher</em>, and at a glance it seems no topic was off limits.</p> <p>The documentary delves into the legendary musician’s final recording session which took place at Graceland’s famous jungle room, as well as his personal demons.</p> <p><strong>“He knew what he was doing”</strong></p> <p>Elvis fans attending the film’s debut at South By Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, were stunned when Elvis’ ex-wife started talking candidly about a range of topics including the singer’s deadly addiction to prescription drugs.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D7sr0KBKi_s" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>She said, “it was difficult for all of us, we certainly didn’t see it coming. But we certainly saw the journey he was taking. People go, well, ‘Why didn’t anyone do anything?’ Well, that’s not true. People there in the inner group did, but you did not tell Elvis Presley what to do. You did not. I mean, you’d be out of there faster than a scratched cat.’</p> <p>“They would try and no way. He knew what he was doing.”</p> <p><strong>How the problems started  </strong></p> <p>Presley told the crowd in attendance that Elvis’ addiction to pills began many years ago when the King was stationed in Germany for his two-year US army service.</p> <p>“They gave them to the soldiers over there to keep them awake... He had manoeuvres that he had to do late at night, so the pills were given to the guys and that’s how he started,” she said.</p> <p>“And if you take a sleeping pill, you have to do something to get yourself awake ... he was in uncharted territory, he truly was, and he did this and tried to do this alone.”</p> <p><strong>But the music didn’t suffer</strong></p> <p>Despite the drug abuse, Elvis continued to produce a legendary catalogue of music that’s loved and cherished by millions of fans right up to this day.</p> <p>Thom Zimny, the director of the documentary, said, “when I was looking at certain tracks [from] the very end of his life ... I still have this feeling that there was a man who was connecting to the music and that this story has been told one way,’.</p> <p>“Sitting and listening to that music and also talking at length with Priscilla, I realised that we were going to be able to touch on some of the tragic moments, not dwell in the details of it.”</p> <p>What are your thoughts? Are you an Elvis fan? Do you think you’ll see this documentary?</p>

Music

Placeholder Content Image

6 celebrity books that are actually worth reading

<p>Some celebrity memoirs and autobiographies can be self-indulgent, poorly written and just downright bad – but not these.</p> <p>From Michael J. Fox’s candid account of how he came to term with his Parkinson’s diagnosis to Carrie Fisher’s teenage diaries written on the set of <em>Star Wars</em>, these enthralling books will leave you wanting more.</p> <p><strong>1. <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/93981/71095/1880?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Flucky-man-michael-j-fox-a-memoir-michael-j-fox%2Fprod9781863252898.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Lucky Man</span></em></a> by Michael J. Fox </strong></p> <p>When Michael J. Fox announced to the world that he had Parkinson's disease, a degenerative neurological condition, he had been secretly fighting it for almost ten years. By the time the public started grieving for him, he had stopped grieving for himself. Far from being bitter about being forced into retirement at the height of his career, he considers himself a lucky man.</p> <p>With the same energy, passion and humour he invests in his performances, Fox recounts the incredible story of his life-changing experiences – and what Parkinson's has given him: the chance to appreciate a wonderful life and career, his family, and the opportunity to help find a cure.</p> <p><strong>2. <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/93981/71095/1880?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Felvis-and-me-priscilla-presley%2Fprod9780425091036.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Elvis and Me</span></em></a> by Priscilla Presley </strong></p> <p><em>The New York Times</em> bestseller that reveals the intimate story of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley, told by the woman who lived it.</p> <p>Decades after his death, millions of fans continue to worship Elvis the legend. But very few knew him as Elvis the man. Here in her own words, Priscilla Presley tells the story of their love, revealing the details of their first meeting, their marriage, their affairs, their divorce, and the unbreakable bond that has remained long after his tragic death.</p> <p>A tribute to both the man and the legend, <em>Elvis and Me</em> gives Elvis fans the world over an unprecedented look at the true life of the King of Rock N' Roll and the woman who loved him.</p> <p><strong>3. <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/93981/71095/1880?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fcash-johnny-cash%2Fprod9780060727536.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Cash</span></em></a> by Johnny Cash </strong></p> <p>In his own words, Cash set the record straight – and dispelled a few myths – as he looked unsparingly at his remarkable life: from the joys of his boyhood in Dyess, Arkansas to superstardom in Nashville, Tennessee, the road of Cash's life has been anything but smooth. Cash writes of the thrill of playing with Elvis, the comfort of praying with Billy Graham; of his battles with addiction and of the devotion of his wife, June; of his gratitude for life, and of his thoughts on what the afterlife may bring. Here, too, are the friends of a lifetime, including Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, and Kris Kristofferson. As powerful and memorable as one of his classic songs,<em> Cash</em> is filled with the candour, wit, and wisdom of a man who truly "walked the line."</p> <p><strong>4. <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/93981/71095/1880?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fthe-princess-diarist-carrie-fisher%2Fprod9781784162054.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Princess Diarist</span></em></a> by Carrie Fisher </strong></p> <p>When Carrie Fisher discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved – plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Now her fame as an author, actress, and pop-culture icon is indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a teenager with an all-consuming crush on her co-star, Harrison Ford. </p> <p>With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, <em>The Princess Diarist</em> is Fisher’s intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time – and what developed behind the scenes. Fisher also ponders the joys and insanity of celebrity, and the absurdity of a life spawned by Hollywood royalty, only to be surpassed by her own outer-space royalty. Laugh-out-loud hilarious and endlessly quotable, <em>The Princess Diarist</em> brims with the candour and introspection of a diary while offering shrewd insight into the type of stardom that few will ever experience.</p> <p><strong>5. <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/93981/71095/1880?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fmy-lucky-life-in-and-out-of-show-business-dick-van-dyke%2Fprod9781786061096.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">My Lucky Life in and Out of Show Business</span></em></a> by Dick Van Dyke </strong></p> <p>Dick Van Dyke, indisputably one of the greats of the golden age of television, is admired and beloved by audiences the world over for his beaming smile, his physical dexterity, his impeccable comic timing, his ridiculous stunts, and his unforgettable screen roles.</p> <p>His trailblazing television programme, <em>The Dick Van Dyke Show</em>, was one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1960s and introduced another major television star, Mary Tyler Moore, it also won fifteen Primetime Emmy Awards. But Dick Van Dyke was also an enormously engaging movie star whose films, including <em>Mary Poppins</em> and <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</em>, have been discovered by each new generation of fans and are as beloved today as when they first appeared. Who doesn't know the word 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'?</p> <p>A colourful, loving, richly detailed look at the decades of a multi-layered life, <em>My Lucky Life in and Out of Show Business</em> will enthral every generation of reader, from baby-boomers who recall when Rob Petrie became a household name, to all those still enchanted by Bert's 'Chim Chim Cher-ee'. This is a lively, heart-warming memoir of a performer who still thinks of himself as a 'simple song-and dance man', but who is, in every sense of the words, a classic entertainer.</p> <p><strong>6. <em><a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/93981/71095/1880?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fjust-kids-patti-smith%2Fprod9780747568766.html" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Just Kids</span></a></em> by Patti Smith </strong></p> <p>A prelude to fame, <em>Just Kids</em> recounts the friendship of two young artists – Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe – whose passion fuelled their lifelong pursuit of art.</p> <p>In 1967, a chance meeting between two young people led to a romance and a lifelong friendship that would carry each to international success never dreamed of. The backdrop is Brooklyn, Chelsea Hotel, Max's Kansas City, Scribner's Bookstore, Coney Island, Warhol's Factory and the whole city resplendent. It was a heightened time politically and culturally; the art and music worlds exploding and colliding. In the midst of all this two kids made a pact to always care for one another. Scrappy, romantic, committed to making art, they prodded and provided each other with faith and confidence during the hungry years – the days of couscous and lettuce soup. <em>Just Kids</em> begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. Beautifully written, this is a profound portrait of two young artists, often hungry, sated only by art and experience.</p>

Books

Placeholder Content Image

Priscilla Presley shocks viewers with youthful look

<p>Priscilla Presley's appearance on UK morning TV show <em>Lorraine</em> shocked social media users.</p> <p>The 72-year-old former wife of the original King of Rock ‘n’ Roll Elvis dropped by on Monday to promote a new Elvis album and tour, Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.</p> <p>But fans were more interested in her age-defying looks as many took to social media to comment on her youthful face that at 72 was without any wrinkles.</p> <p><img width="445" height="587" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/20/11/468968ED00000578-0-image-a-94_1511175625691.jpg" alt="Discussions: Priscilla Presley's appearance got viewers talking on social media following her interview on Monday's instalment of Lorraine as she promoted new compilation Elvis album and tour, Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-7519a8e6cb5f31bf"/></p> <p>“What has Pricilla Presley done to her face?” one user wrote.</p> <p>“Priscilla Presley what happened to ageing gracefully? #plastic,” another posted. “Priscilla what have you done to your face!”</p> <p>However, many of Priscilla’s fans jumped to her defence.</p> <p>One fan wrote: '” know she has had a lot done but Priscilla Presley looks amazing!!!”</p> <p><img width="432" height="597" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/20/11/4689697A00000578-5099961-image-a-111_1511175940261.jpg" alt="Wrapped up: Priscilla donned a burgundy coloured rib top for the occasion which featured bow detail on the shoulder" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-9980c76a1cd72caa"/></p> <p>Priscilla has previously admitted to falling foul of botched plastic surgery. She allegedly had industrial low-grade silicone similar to that used by mechanics to grease car parts injected into her face.</p> <p>Her spokesperson said at the time: “Priscilla Presley was one of many documented victims of Dr. Serrano.</p> <p>"An investigation which uncovered his misconduct ultimately lead to his imprisonment. Ms. Presley dealt with this matter years ago and everything is now well."</p> <p> </p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Why Priscilla Presley has quit Scientology

<p>Priscilla Presley is the latest celebrity to walk away from the controversial Church of Scientology after four decades of following the religion.</p> <p>The 72-year-old has told friends she quit Scientology, The Mail has revealed.</p> <p>“I’ve had enough. I’m done,” said Presley, who is believed to have joined Scientology after the death of husband Elvis.</p> <p>“Priscilla reached out to John Travolta after Elvis died in 1977 and that’s how she ended up in the church,” a source told The Mail. “She has been in it ever since and she raised her daughter Lisa Marie in it.”</p> <p><img width="364" height="270" src="http://akns-images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/2017120/rs_1024x759-170220080151-1024.lisa-marie-presley.cm.22017.jpg" alt="Image result for priscilla lisa marie presley" class="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 0px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>However, Lisa Marie quit the church in 2014, saying at the time, “I was slowly starting to self-destruct. They were taking my soul, my money, my everything.”</p> <p>“Lisa Marie leaving made it hard for Priscilla,” the source added. “They are very close as a family and leaving the church has been a family decision.”</p> <p>Founded by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in 1955, Scientology counts heavy-weight celebrities Tom Cruise and John Travolta as members.</p> <p>Both of Cruise’s ex-wives Katie Holmes and Nicole Kidman have quit the church, as have actress Demi Moore and filmmaker Paul Haggis.</p> <p>The latter described it as an ‘evil cult’, adding: “Everyone who’s left has left quietly. Everyone is so scared; all the well-known people.”</p> <p> </p>

Music