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Riley Keough: Her Acting Career, Family Story, and Life Beyond the Presley Name

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Riley Keough

Riley Keough is a 37-year-old American actor, producer, and filmmaker whose career now extends well beyond the Presley family name. Born on May 29, 1989, she is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough. She is also the eldest grandchild of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. For a closer look at this, see Tommy Mottola.

Her story connects film, television, directing, motherhood, and one of America’s most famous musical families. In 2026, she also remains closely involved with Graceland while continuing to take on new screen projects.

Key factDetail
Age in August 202637
Date of birthMay 29, 1989
BirthplaceSanta Monica, California
ParentsLisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough
GrandparentsElvis Presley and Priscilla Presley
HusbandBen Smith-Petersen
ChildrenTwo
Known forDaisy Jones & The Six, Zola, The Girlfriend Experience, War Pony
Graceland connectionOwner and trustee through Lisa Marie Presley’s estate
2026 workButterfly Jam and Rosebush Pruning

Quick answer: Keough is a 37-year-old American actor, producer, and filmmaker who was born on May 29, 1989. She is Lisa Marie Presley’s daughter and Elvis Presley’s eldest grandchild. Her best-known work includes Daisy Jones & The Six, Zola, and The Girlfriend Experience. She also co-directed War Pony and now oversees Graceland through her role in the family estate.

Key takeaways

  • Keough turned 37 in May 2026 and has worked professionally since her teenage years.
  • Her acting credits range from independent films to major television productions.
  • She married Australian stunt performer Ben Smith-Petersen in 2015, and they have two children.
  • She became the sole trustee of her mother’s estate and the owner of Graceland in 2023.
  • Her 2026 film work includes Butterfly Jam and Rosebush Pruning.

Riley Keough in 2026: Age, Family, and Key Facts

Keough was born in Santa Monica, California, on May 29, 1989. That makes her 37 as of August 2026. Her mother was singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, while her father, Danny Keough, is a musician.

She grew up with a famous family name, but her childhood was split between different environments. Biography.com reports that she spent time with both parents and also stayed at Graceland. Elvis Presley died before she was born, so she never met her grandfather. There is more on this in What Signs Indicate It’s Time to Call Foundation Contractors in Waterloo, IA.

Readers interested in more current celebrity profiles can browse Magazism’s Entertainment section, which covers actors, public figures, films, and entertainment facts.

How She Built an Acting Career of Her Own

Before acting, Keough worked as a teenage fashion model. She appeared in a Christian Dior runway show in 2004. Her first feature-film role came in the 2010 music biopic The Runaways.

She later appeared in Magic Mike, Mad Max: Fury Road, American Honey, Logan Lucky, and Zola. Television marked another major step in her career through The Girlfriend Experience. That performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination and strengthened her reputation beyond her family history.

Her choices have often leaned toward independent films, unusual characters, and filmmaker-led projects. That path differs from a conventional celebrity blockbuster career. For another look at a much longer Hollywood career, Magazism’s Jim Carrey career and net worth profile offers a useful contrast.

Why Daisy Jones & The Six Became a Career Milestone

The 2023 Prime Video series Daisy Jones & The Six brought Keough to a wider television audience. She played Daisy Jones, the lead singer of a fictional 1970s rock band. She also performed lead vocals despite having limited professional singing experience before the production.

The role earned her an Emmy nomination for Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. The Television Academy’s official nomination record lists her alongside Jessica Chastain, Dominique Fishback, Kathryn Hahn, Lizzy Caplan, and eventual winner Ali Wong.

That nomination matters because it separates the role from simple popularity. It gave her formal recognition in the television industry for a performance that required both acting and musical skills.

Directing War Pony and Moving Behind the Camera

Directing War Pony and Moving Behind the Camera

Acting is only part of her work. Keough co-founded the production company Felix Culpa with Gina Gammell and began building credits as a producer and filmmaker.

The pair co-directed War Pony, a coming-of-age drama centered on two young Lakota men. The film premiered at Cannes in 2022 and won the Caméra d’Or for best first feature. That award established her directing career with a major festival honor rather than as a small side project.

Her work behind the camera also helps explain why her recent career appears broader than a standard filmography would suggest. Producing and directing now sit alongside her acting roles.

Husband, Children, and a More Private Family Life

Keough met Australian stunt performer Ben Smith-Petersen while working on Mad Max: Fury Road. They began dating after meeting during the production and married in 2015.

The couple now has two children. Their first daughter, Tupelo Storm, was born via surrogate in August 2022. Her name references Elvis Presley’s birthplace, Tupelo, Mississippi, while “Storm” honors Keough’s late brother, Benjamin Storm Keough.

A second child arrived quietly in early 2025. The couple has kept details about that child private, and public reporting has not provided the same level of information available about Tupelo. People confirmed by late 2025 that the family had grown to include two children.

Graceland and Lisa Marie Presley’s Legacy

Lisa Marie Presley died in January 2023. By August of that year, her eldest daughter had become the sole trustee of her mother’s estate and the owner of Graceland, the Presley family home in Memphis.

She has described preservation as her main goal for the property. Rather than treating Graceland as another celebrity asset, she has framed it as a family home that should continue the work of Priscilla and Lisa Marie.

She also completed Lisa Marie’s memoir, From Here to the Great Unknown, using recorded material her mother left behind. The book was published in October 2024. The project added another responsibility to her role in managing parts of her family’s public legacy.

Celebrity profiles often mix verified facts with figures copied from other websites. Magazism’s Oliver Haarmann age profile shows why dates and financial claims need clear sourcing rather than repetition.

What She Is Working on in 2026

Her career remained active through 2026. Butterfly Jam, directed by Kantemir Balagov, opened the Directors’ Fortnight program at Cannes in May. Criterion reported that its cast was headlined by Barry Keoghan and Keough, alongside Harry Melling and Monica Bellucci.

She also appears as Anna in Karim Aïnouz’s Rosebush Pruning. The ensemble includes Callum Turner, Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage, Elle Fanning, Tracy Letts, and Pamela Anderson. Variety reported in 2026 that the film was receiving a theatrical release through MUBI’s distribution partnership.

These projects show that her post-Daisy Jones work has not narrowed to one type of role. She continues to move between independent cinema, larger ensembles, producing, and filmmaking.

Keough’s public story is now much broader than her famous ancestry. Her acting nominations, directing work, family responsibilities, and current films give readers several reasons to follow what comes next.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Riley Keough in 2026?

She is 37 years old. She was born on May 29, 1989, in Santa Monica, California. She turned 37 in May 2026.

How is she related to Elvis Presley?

She is Elvis Presley’s eldest grandchild. Her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, was Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s only child. Elvis died in 1977, 12 years before his granddaughter was born.

Who is her husband?

Her husband is Australian stunt performer Ben Smith-Petersen. They met while working on Mad Max: Fury Road and married in 2015.

How many children does she have?

She and Smith-Petersen have two children. Their daughter, Tupelo Storm, was born in August 2022, and their second child arrived in early 2025.

What movies and TV shows is she best known for?

Her major credits include Zola, American Honey, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Girlfriend Experience, and Daisy Jones & The Six. She also co-directed the Cannes-winning first feature War Pony.

Does she own Graceland?

Yes. She became the owner of Graceland and the sole trustee of Lisa Marie Presley’s estate in 2023. She has said her goal is to preserve the property as the Presley family home.

What is her net worth?

There is no authoritative public filing that establishes a precise personal net worth. Online estimates can combine acting income, inherited interests, trusts, and the value of assets connected with the Presley estate. A specific figure should be treated as an estimate unless a reliable financial record supports it.