Elvis Presley’s former mistress refuses to watch her film with the King | Music | Entertainment
This week, on January 8, 2023, marks the 88th birthday of Elvis Presley. While the King of Rock and Roll dominated the music industry and sold more than one billion records worldwide, he also released more than 50 movies. But one of his most notable co-stars, Ann-Margret, has revealed she will not be watching one of the star’s movies ever again.
Elvis met Ann-Margret on the set of their 1964 movie Viva Las Vegas. While the movie was a major success, it also started a passionate love affair between the two actors. In secret, Elvis and Ann-Margret were together for just over a year. She described them as “soul mates” before they were forced to break up.
After Ann-Margret was misquoted in a paper, Elvis’ long-term girlfriend Priscilla Presley (Beaulieu at the time) heard that the King was secretly engaged to the Swedish-American star. She became enraged and demanded he breaks things off.
In 2021, Ann-Margret reminisced about her time with Elvis. She said: “We were friends for a long time, EP [Elvis Presley] and I. We met on the movie, we had several things in common, including a love for Las Vegas. We dated, and we just had a great time together.”
Ann-Margret, who is now 81-years-old, added: “What can I say? Yes, certainly admired and respected him. We were a lot alike and made a great movie together.”
However, she confessed she would not watch one specific movie starring Elvis anymore.
She admitted: “[I last saw Viva Las Vegas] when it came out in 1964. I never see my movies more than once. I like to keep it that way, in my memories.” (Via Review Journal)
Ann-Margret and Elvis did see each other again before his untimely death in 1977, however.
Just a few years before he died in Graceland of a cardiac arrest, aged 42, Elvis visited Ann-Margret while she was performing her residency slot in Las Vegas. After hanging out with her at a party, he later called her and asked her to come over. Ann-Margret, who was married at the time to Hollywood producer Roger Smith, wrote in her memoir: “He asked if he could see me. It was a question I’d anticipated since [that] afternoon but hoped that he wouldn’t really ask.”
Ann-Margret responded: “You know I can’t.” But this blunt honesty allowed Elvis to truly open up to her. He said: “I know, but I just want you to know that I still feel the same.”
Shortly thereafter, Elvis died. Ann-Margret knew something was wrong as the King had been sending her a bouquet of flowers every day. When one didn’t arrive on August 17, 1977 – the day after his death – she knew something was wrong. She then received a call from Elvis’ road manager, Joe Eposito, who told her the stark news of his death. She responded with two simple words: “I’m coming.”
Ann-Margret was the only person from Elvis’ days in Hollywood who attended his expansive funeral, which took place on August 18, 1977.
