Riley Keough expressed feeling “sorry” for her stepfather Michael Jackson after he married her mother: “I can’t defend her decisions…”

Riley Keough, the star of *Daisy Jones & the Six*, recently opened up about her brief experience having Michael Jackson as her stepfather. 

In an appearance on the *Call Her Daddy* podcast, Keough, 35, spoke candidly about her mother’s marriage to the King of Pop 

and the period of time she spent with Jackson during their marriage. 

Keough’s mother, Lisa Marie Presley, was married to Jackson from 1994 to 1996, following her split from Keough’s father, Danny Keough. 

Despite the high-profile nature of the relationship, Keough admitted that she was not aware of any allegations surrounding Jackson at the time. 

“I was never told anything. It’s actually not something I ever asked as an adult,” Keough shared during the podcast episode, which was published on Wednesday. She expressed that the situation “just was what it was,” and she didn’t feel the need to inquire about it back then. “I think it just never came to mind, I guess,” she added.

Keough’s comments provide insight into her perspective growing up amidst a world of celebrity and public scrutiny. Before her mother’s brief marriage to Jackson, Presley had been married to Danny Keough, with whom she had Riley and a late son, Benjamin, who tragically passed away in 2020. While Keough acknowledged the complexity of her family dynamic, she emphasized that her parents made a conscious effort to shield her and her siblings from conflict. “They don’t fight around the kids,” Keough explained, which is why she was never made aware of any behind-the-scenes discussions.

Reflecting on how her father might have felt about Jackson’s presence in their lives, Keough speculated, “I would imagine that my dad was really heartbroken and reading the news and I’m sure that — I’m just imagining, I would imagine he said all kinds of things to my mom that we didn’t know about.” This comment highlights the deep emotions that likely accompanied the public nature of Presley’s marriage to Jackson and the fallout that followed.

The *Thriller* singer, who passed away in 2009, faced multiple accusations of sexual abuse involving minors, particularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Although he was never convicted of any criminal wrongdoing, the allegations cast a long shadow over his legacy. Keough, however, refrained from discussing these allegations in detail, instead focusing on the love she witnessed between her mother and Jackson. “The one thing I know is that they were in love and that their love for one another was genuine,” Keough reflected, acknowledging the positive aspects of their relationship. 

Presley herself addressed the accusations against Jackson in her posthumous memoir, *From Here to the Great Unknown*, in which she firmly denied witnessing any inappropriate behavior. “I never saw a goddamn thing like that,” Presley wrote. “I personally would’ve killed him if I did.” Riley Keough contributed to the memoir, which is set to be released in October 2024, offering her own perspective on her mother’s tumultuous life in the public eye.

Keough also shared that the time her mother spent with Jackson marked a significant shift in Presley’s lifestyle. “I think when she saw Michael’s life, there were things that he had that she didn’t have,” Keough explained. She recalled how Presley was drawn to the opulent lifestyle Jackson enjoyed, saying, “She didn’t have a plane at the time or things like that. She then was like, ‘Oh, I should have a plane, and I should have this and that.’” Keough noted that Presley’s marriage to Danny Keough had been simpler and less lavish, contrasting with the extravagant world she experienced with Jackson. “At home, like, she didn’t have 10 million assistants. She didn’t need all of that [with Danny],” Keough said.

Riley Keough’s reflections offer a unique and personal glimpse into the life of a woman who grew up in the spotlight, navigating both the love and challenges of being in a family with such public figures. The tragic passing of her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, in January 2023 added another layer of emotional complexity to Keough’s story. On the two-year anniversary of Presley’s death, Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie’s mother, shared a poignant tribute on Instagram, accompanied by the song “You Were Always on My Mind.” It serves as a reminder of the deep love and loss the Presley family continues to endure. 

As Keough continues to reflect on her upbringing and her family’s complex legacy, her story sheds light on the challenges of growing up under the weight of public scrutiny while also navigating personal relationships with larger-than-life figures like Michael Jackson.

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