With two months to go before the release of “Megalopolis,” things are about to get awkward.
Video has surfaced of director Francis Ford Coppola that shows the legendary director trying to kiss young female extras on the set of his ambitious sci-fi epic. Variety has obtained two videos (posted below) that were taken by a crewmember last year during the filming of a bacchanalian nightclub scene.
Two sources told Variety that Coppola appeared to act with impunity on set. And unlike traditional movies, Coppola financed the entire $120 million budget himself, so there were none of the traditional checks and balances in place. The videos would appear to corroborate a bombshell report in the Guardian that claimed the 85-year-old director “tried to kiss some of the topless and scantily clad female extras” and told them “he was ‘trying to get them in the mood.’” The Guardian story broke right before “Megalopolis” made its world premiere in Competition in Cannes.
The scene in question, which features actress Nathalie Emmanuel, was shot on Feb. 14, 2023, at the Tabernacle, a concert hall in Atlanta. The call sheet, which Variety has reviewed, says the actresses playing female party goers had been “cleared for topless nudity” while others in the scene had been “cleared for scantily clad.”
The sources claim that Coppola’s behavior was unprofessional. One source who was on the set during the nightclub scene estimated that between 150 to 200 people were assembled, including background actors and crew as Coppola started directing the scene. The filmmaker kept leaping up to hug and kiss several women, often inadvertently inserting himself into the shot and ruining it, which the source said was unusual.
“I’ve worked with really important directors and that behavior is uncommon — the most I’ve ever seen any director do is say something like, ‘high energy, guys,'” the source adds. “I’ve never seen anyone on set, and this extends to a camera operator, so much as touch an actor.”
The source said that after multiple takes, Coppola got on a microphone and announced in earshot of everyone in the room, “Sorry, if I come up to you and kiss you. Just know it’s solely for my pleasure.”
Senile and depressed with dead wife. Pretty big bummer he will go out with his dignity lost. Dude made great films. Where is his support system to make him not be a senile misogynist molester? Like where is his daughter, arguably a top 5 feminist filmmaker?
Look up his ties to Salva who directed Jeepers Creepers. Coppola has always been a creep. Dignity was lost when he kept pushing the career of a child rapist (who did so in his own home) because “they were kids.” Near 30 vs a 13 year old boy.
People need to separate the artist from his work because he has always been wack.
Wow that was a depressing read. They must’ve been close friends but that doesn’t make sense because Coppola is so much older. Absolutely bizarre hill to die on. Why tf does he care about this guy. So lame man.
It’s like, 10x logically weirder to strangely advocate for the molester rapist than to be the actual rapist.
Ok, so Salva’s clearly disturbed, but besides supporting this guy’s career, has Francis Ford Coppola been known to sexually harass people on set before? I feel like that would’ve come out before this if so, which leads to an inference there may be a genuine cognitive issue given his advanced age
What the fuck, don’t blame this on his daughter
Not blaming my dude. You are reading that wrong if that’s your takeaway from that sentence.
If that’s the case then don’t bring her up.
My man. If you and your siblings were very close with your father, and in fact he launched your entire careers, if he suddenly did something public that you perceived as bad for him and way out of character possibly, you would absolutely privately be like, “Hey pops, what the hell is going on man?”
The only alternative answer is that they’ve voluntarily dissociated from him because he is on some level a monster—in which case that’s also a valid answer to the question of “where are they.”
Let me be more obvious: she is openly celebrating him on Father’s Day on instagram well after these allegations:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8R_aN-p5HD/?igsh=MXN1OW51MW1sZms3MA==
This is really bad for her brand at the very least if she is a top female filmmaker of all time and simultaneously celebrating an alleged creep/monster.