Right before the movie made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, a report accused him of inappropriate actions toward some of the women on set.
Eyewitnesses told the Guardian at the time that Coppola, 85, “came on to the set and tried to kiss some of the topless and scantily clad female extras” while filming a bacchanalian nightclub scene.
Several sources claimed Coppola could be “old school” in his treatment of female cast and crew members, allegedly even pulling a few to sit on his lap.
Right before “Megalopolis” made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, a report accused director Francis Ford Coppola of inappropriate actions toward some of the women on set. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP Eyewitnesses told the Guardian at the time that Coppola, seen here at the Cannes Film Festival in May, “came on to the set and tried to kiss some of the topless and scantily clad female extras” while filming a bacchanalian nightclub scene. AFP via Getty Images
When asked by Rolling Stone Monday whether he “kissed and touched extras in a way some people found inappropriate,” Coppola replied, “You’re talking about the Guardian piece, which is totally untrue.”
“The truth of the matter is they were looking for some sort of dirt,” he insisted. “The young women I kissed on the cheek in regards to the New Year’s scene — they were young women I knew.”
Coppola said he feels those who made the claims and reported on them were “just trying to damage the picture” ahead of the Cannes premiere.
“It’s all so ridiculous,” he added. “Look at the timing of that article.”
“Megalopolis” hits theaters in September. On Monday, Coppola, seen here at the Oscars in March, admitted to kissing women on the set of the movie but shut down allegations that he exhibited unprofessional behavior. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
According to the filmmaker, “there’s a prevailing tendency in Hollywood to say, ‘If you follow our rules, you’ll have a better chance of a success.'”
Coppola explained that he’s “trying to do something different here,” noting that “film is change.”
“I mean, the movies that your grandchildren are going to make are going to be nothing like what we see now,” he said.
“You’re talking about the Guardian piece, which is totally untrue,” Coppola, seen here with daughter Sofia Coppola in 2002, told the Rolling Stone. WireImage “The young women I kissed on the cheek in regards to the New Year’s scene — they were young women I knew,” Coppola, seen here in 1994, explained. AP
The scene in question was shot in February 2023 at the Tabernacle, a concert hall in Atlanta.
According to the call sheet, the extras playing female partygoers had been “cleared for topless nudity,” while others in the scene had been “cleared for scantily clad.”
As Coppola was directing, he kept leaping up to kiss and hug several women, often inadvertently inserting himself into the shot and thereby ruining it. One insider described the behavior as “uncommon.”
After multiple takes, Coppola allegedly got on a microphone and announced to everyone in the room, “Sorry — if I come up to you and kiss you, just know it’s solely for my pleasure.”
“It’s all so ridiculous,” Coppola, seen here in 1991, added. “Look at the timing of that article.” Zm/Zoetrope/Kobal/Shutterstock “I mean, the movies that your grandchildren are going to make are going to be nothing like what we see now,” the filmmaker, seen here at the Cannes Film Festival in May, said. AFP via Getty Images
Interestingly, the director initially denied the allegations in June when the New York Times asked about the Guardian’s report detailing the incident. He told the outlet, “I’m not touchy-feely” because “I’m too shy.”
Meanwhile, executive co-producer Darren Demetre tried to defend the filmmaker in a statement that — like Coppola’s most recent one — admitted to physical touching.
“There were two days when we shot a celebratory Studio 54-esque club scene where Francis walked around the set to establish the spirit of the scene by giving kind hugs and kisses on the cheek to the cast and background players,” he told Variety in part.
“It was his way to help inspire and establish the club atmosphere, which was so important to the film.”
In July, Variety obtained two videos that corroborated the Guardian’s witnesses’ kissing claims. Coppola is seen here at an event with Nicolas Cage. WireImage The director, seen here at the Cannes Film Festival in May, initially denied the allegations in June, telling the New York Times that he’s “not touchy-feely” because he’s “too shy.” AFP via Getty Images
Demetre added that he “was never aware of any complaints of harassment or ill behavior during the course of the project.”
One source told Variety that crew members looked at each other uncomfortably when Coppola — who financed the entire $120-million project himself — kissed and hugged the extras but that no one publicly objected or tried to intervene.
“Because Coppola funded it, there was no HR department to keep things in check,” a second source said. “Who were they supposed to talk to? Complain to Coppola and report Coppola to himself?”
Reps for Coppola did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
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