Why Priscilla Presley From The Elvis Movie Looks So Familiar

Olivia DeJonge made her official acting debut in 2011's short film "Good Pretender." Eleven years later, the actress starred in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis." DeJonge was born in Melbourne, Australia, and has worked on numerous projects in the years that have transpired between 2011 and 2022. 

DeJonge told The AU Review that the process of landing the role of Priscilla Presley in "Elvis" took time, but it all began with an audition tape. She said, "I set up a self-tape and a couple months later I was sitting at dinner with my agents, and I asked them about the role." She found out later in the evening that the role was hers. DeJonge and the real Priscilla Presley didn't connect with one another until after the movie was made, but Presley admitted that she's been surprised by how well DeJonge played the role. As she told Good Morning America, "I'm so happy that she was sensitive and that she was caring and that she was a little strong with [Elvis] as well."

If DeJonge looked familiar to you while you were watching "Elvis," chances are you know her from some of her earlier projects. Here's a look at her fast-growing career.

Olivia DeJonge starred in the Christmas cult classic thrilled "Better Watch Out" in 2016. The film wasn't exactly a blockbuster hit, but as DeJonge discussed with The AU Review, the movie definitely has a loyal fan base that even reaches out to DeJonge each holiday season. While speaking to the publication, DeJonge shared, "That was such a quiet hit that film. We weren't even sure what it was going to be. And it's still going. Every Christmas I get DM's about (the film)."

DeJonge stars as a babysitter who ends up facing a lot more than she bargained for when it becomes clear someone, or even a group of someones, have broken into the house and are intent on terrorizing everyone inside it. And while the movie might have a core audience of fans who love it no matter what, RogerEbert.com film critic Simon Abrams seemed frustrated with the film. In his review, he wrote, "It's the kind of movie that pushes your buttons at every turn, and casts actors based solely on their ability to play to your snap judgments of what they're 'really' like off-screen."

Olivia DeJonge joined the cast of the television series "The Society" in 2019, playing Elle Tomkins for 10 episodes during the show's short-lived run. The Netflix original series saw a group of teens transported to a place that seemed a lot like their home city but with a few notable differences. For starters, there were no adults at all — not even their parents. As Collider noted, the series follows a bit of a "Lord of the Flies"-esque plot, as the teens are eventually tasked with facing the breakdown of their society and the inevitable conflict that follows. 

DeJonge's character, Elle Tomkins, was celebrated by Our Culture Magazine as one of the most interesting characters from the show. The publication noted that Elle begins the show as a hard-to-like character — she's not friendly and is even described as mean. However, she begins to soften as the series progressed.

Olivia DeJonge was also seen in "Stray Dolls" in 2019, co-starring alongside "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon. The movie, which was directed by Sonejuhi Sinha, gained praise from Cinema Femme for its portrayal of women who stray outside the lines of convention. 

Sinha told Cinema Femme that DeJonge's character, Dallas, was thoughtfully put together. As she explained, "We subscribe to making Dallas really well-rounded. She is explosive and unpredictable, but she's also a child, extremely vulnerable."

Much of the movie is about the stories of outsiders; one character, Riz, is seen as an outsider because she is a recent immigrant to the United States, while DeJonge's character Dallas is an outsider because she's a runaway from the southern United States. Sinha told Cinema Femme, "Dallas and Riz find themselves on the seesaw, because they are equal–they are equal outsiders together."