Riley Keough – Full Biography, Movies, TV Shows and Net Worth

Riley Keough is an American actress, model, and producer whose name carries one of the most iconic legacies in popular culture. As the eldest grandchild of Elvis Presley and the only child of Lisa Marie Presley to reach adulthood before inheriting the family estate, she has navigated fame from birth. Yet her career is built on independent films, critically acclaimed television, and a growing reputation as a filmmaker in her own right.

Born Danielle Riley Keough on May 29, 1989, in Santa Monica, California, she grew up in a world of music royalty. Her father, Danny Keough, was a musician, and her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, was the sole heir to Elvis Presley’s fortune. Riley spent her childhood between California and Tennessee, often at Graceland, the Memphis mansion that would later become her responsibility.

Keough entered the entertainment industry through modeling as a teenager, but she quickly shifted focus to acting. Her first major film role came in 2010 with The Runaways, and she has since appeared in blockbusters like Mad Max: Fury Road and acclaimed series such as Daisy Jones & the Six. Beyond performing, she co-founded the production company Felix Culpa and won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes for co-directing War Pony in 2022.

Who Is Riley Keough? Biography and Background

Key Insights About Riley Keough

• Riley Keough is the eldest daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, placing her in direct line of the Presley legacy.
• Her acting breakthrough came with the independent drama The Runaways (2010) followed by prominent roles in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and the acclaimed series Daisy Jones & the Six (2023).
• Keough co-founded the production company Felix Culpa and co-directed the film War Pony, which won the Caméra d’Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
• Following her mother’s death in 2023, Keough became the sole trustee of the Elvis Presley Trust, which controls Graceland and other assets.
• She co-founded Felix Culpa in 2020, focusing on underrepresented stories.
• Keough has been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and one Primetime Emmy.

For a profile of another celebrity scion, see Katherine Schwarzenegger – Biography, Age, Books, Family Life.

Who Is Riley Keough Married To? Relationships and Family

Marriage to Ben Smith-Petersen

Riley Keough married Australian stuntman and actor Ben Smith-Petersen on February 4, 2015. The couple met on the set of Mad Max: Fury Road, where Smith-Petersen worked as a stunt performer. They have one daughter, Tupelo Storm Smith-Petersen, born in 2022. The family maintains a relatively private life outside the spotlight.

Children and Family Life

Keough and Smith-Petersen welcomed their daughter in 2022. The child’s name, Tupelo, is a reference to Elvis Presley’s birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi. Keough has spoken in interviews about balancing motherhood with her demanding career.

Connection to Michael Jackson

Riley Keough’s mother, Lisa Marie Presley, was married to Michael Jackson from 1994 to 1996. This marriage made Jackson Keough’s stepfather for that period. However, no evidence suggests a close personal friendship between Keough and Jackson beyond that family connection. Keough has rarely discussed the relationship publicly.

Loss of Lisa Marie Presley

Lisa Marie Presley died on January 12, 2023, at the age of 54. Her death triggered a legal process over her estate, which included her share of Elvis Presley Enterprises and Graceland. In 2024, a court approved Riley Keough as the sole trustee of the Elvis Presley Trust, granting her control over Graceland and her grandfather’s personal effects. Her half-sisters, Finley and Harper Lockwood, also received shares but Keough holds the decision-making power.

Siblings

Keough had one younger brother, Benjamin Keough, who died by suicide in 2020 at age 27. She also has two half-sisters through her mother’s marriage to Michael Lockwood: Finley and Harper Vivienne Lockwood, born in 2008.

What Movies and TV Shows Has Riley Keough Been In? Full Career Trajectory

Film Debut and Early Modeling

Keough began modeling as a teenager, appearing for Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, and becoming the face of Dior’s Miss Dior Chérie perfume in 2005. She continues to model and became a house ambassador for Chanel in October 2023. Her feature film debut came in 2010 with the musical biopic The Runaways, in which she played Marie Currie alongside Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning.

Breakthrough Roles: Mad Max and The Girlfriend Experience

In 2015, Keough appeared in George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road as one of the Five Wives. The film earned critical acclaim and revitalized the franchise. The same year, she starred in Magic Mike (2012) and later took on the lead role in the anthology series The Girlfriend Experience (2016), for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.

Mainstream Success: Daisy Jones & the Six

Keough’s most prominent role to date is Daisy Jones in Amazon Prime’s Daisy Jones & the Six (2023). Playing a 1970s singer-songwriter, she performed all of the show’s lead vocals. The performance earned her nominations for a Golden Globe, a Primetime Emmy, and a Critics’ Choice Award. The series helped solidify her place as a leading actress in Hollywood.

Other Notable Projects

Keough has appeared in a range of films including The Good Doctor (2011), American Honey (2016), It Comes at Night (2017), Logan Lucky (2017), The Devil All the Time (2020), and Zola (2020). On television, she starred in the thriller series The Terminal List (2022) and the Hulu limited series Under the Bridge (2024), where she portrayed journalist Rebecca Godfrey.

Production Company and Directing

In 2020, Keough co-founded the production company Felix Culpa with Gina Gammell. The company is dedicated to telling stories centered on underrepresented voices. Its first project was War Pony (2022), which Keough co-directed and co-wrote. The film won the Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, a prize awarded to the best first feature film.

Awards and Recognition

Keough has been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards: for The Girlfriend Experience and Daisy Jones & the Six. She also earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for the latter. In 2016, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for American Honey. Her work as a producer and director has been recognized at Cannes.

What Is Riley Keough’s Net Worth? Wealth and Business Ventures

Riley Keough’s personal net worth is not publicly disclosed in exact figures, but estimates from financial publications suggest it falls in the range of $2–5 million, based on her acting and producing income. However, the most substantial financial asset she controls is the Elvis Presley Enterprises stake. The estate, valued at only $5 million at the time of Elvis Presley’s death in 1977, is now estimated to be worth approximately $500 million, according to Vanity Fair.

Keough inherited ownership of Graceland and Elvis’s personal effects after her mother’s death. She is the sole custodian of Graceland, working with Elvis Presley Enterprises to manage the property and its commercial partnerships. Her salary as an actress, combined with endorsement deals (including her role as a Chanel ambassador), contributes to her personal wealth separate from the trust.

Riley Keough: Career and Life Timeline

1. 1989 – Born in Santa Monica, California to Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough.
2. 2004 – Began modeling, appearing in international campaigns.
3. 2010 – Film debut in The Runaways alongside Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning.
4. 2014 – Starred in the crime film The Good Doctor and joined the cast of Mad Max: Fury Road.
5. 2015 – Married stuntman Ben Smith-Petersen in February.
6. 2016-2018 – Appeared in American Honey, It Comes at Night, and Logan Lucky.
7. 2020 – Co-founded production company Felix Culpa with Gina Gammell.
8. 2022 – Co-directed War Pony, winning Caméra d’Or at Cannes. Welcomed first child.
9. 2023 – Starred in Daisy Jones & the Six, earning Golden Globe, Emmy, and Critics’ Choice nominations. Lisa Marie Presley passes away.
10. 2024 – Filed legal petition regarding mother’s estate. Runs the Elvis Presley Trust.
11. 2025 – Continues acting projects and developing Felix Culpa slate. Rumored book deal announced.

Verified Facts and Unconfirmed Reports About Riley Keough

Riley Keough: Industry Status and Cultural Impact

Riley Keough represents a rare bridge between music royalty and Hollywood’s new wave. Unlike many celebrity scions, she built her career through independent films and critically acclaimed projects, avoiding overt exploitation of her family name. Her 2023 role in Daisy Jones & the Six marked a mainstream breakout, while her work behind the camera with War Pony signaled a serious commitment to filmmaking.

Upon her mother’s death, Keough became the key figure managing the Elvis Presley estate, including Graceland. Her personal net worth is estimated based on her acting and producing income, separate from the multi-million dollar trust she now administers. As a producer and company founder, she has shown a particular interest in elevating underrepresented voices, a focus that may define the next phase of her career.

With co-directing War Pony, Keough signaled a move behind the camera. Her production company Felix Culpa is dedicated to storytelling centered on underrepresented voices, suggesting a long-term shift from acting into production and creative leadership. Industry observers expect her to continue taking on high-profile acting roles while expanding her production slate.

Key Quotes and Authoritative Sources

“I think about the idea of legacy a lot. But I also try to just live my life and do good work.”

— Riley Keough, Vanity Fair (2023)

“We really wanted War Pony to be authentic to the experience of growing up on the reservation. That mattered more than anything else.”

— Riley Keough, Entertainment Weekly (2023)

Reliable information about Riley Keough can be found through the following sources:

• Wikipedia: Riley Keough – verified biographical summary.
• IMDb: Riley Keough – complete filmography and production credits.
• People.com: Riley Keough News – in-depth coverage of family, estate, and personal milestones.
• Rotten Tomatoes: Riley Keough – aggregated critic reviews for all film and TV appearances.
• Graceland Official Site – estate and tourism information.
• Biography.com: Riley Keough – early life and career overview.

What’s Next for Riley Keough?

Looking ahead, Keough is expected to continue balancing acting, producing, and managing the Presley legacy. A potential memoir or book project has been rumored but not officially announced. She is likely to expand Felix Culpa’s production slate, possibly directing a solo feature. As trustee of the Elvis Presley Trust, she will oversee media and tourism partnerships for Graceland. High-profile acting roles, particularly in limited series or prestige dramas, remain a strong possibility.

For profiles of other notable figures in entertainment, see Julia Garner – Biography, Age, Husband, Movies & Net Worth.

Frequently Asked Questions About Riley Keough