Francis Ford Coppola Says the Claim He Was Inappropriate onMegalopolisSet Is ‘Totally Untrue’

Mar. 15, 2025

Francis Ford Coppola in 2021.Photo:Vivien Killilea/Getty

Vivien Killilea/Getty

Francis Ford Coppolais calling allegations regarding his behavior on the set of his new movie “totally untrue.”

Coppola, 85, wrote, directed and producedMegalopolis, theAdam Driver-starring science fiction epic set to screen at theToronto International Film Festivalon Sept. 9. When it firstdebutedat theCannes Film Festivalin May, reports emerged that the filmmaker’s “old school” approach included inappropriate interactions with women on set.

During filming, he “allegedly pulled women to sit on his lap,” according toThe Guardian, and “came on to the set and tried to kiss some of the topless and scantily clad female extras.”

The Oscar-winningGodfatherdirector addressed the reports in an interview withRolling Stonepublished Sunday, Aug. 25. In response to a question about whether he “kissed and touched extras in a way some people found inappropriate,” he said, “You’re talking about theGuardianpiece, which is totally untrue.”

Coppola continued, “The truth of the matter is, they were looking for some sort of dirt. The young women I kissed on the cheek, in regards to the New Year’s scene, they were young women I knew.”

A rep for Coppola directed PEOPLE to hisRolling Stoneresponse when asked for comment.

(Left-right:) Jon Voight, D. B. Sweeney, Grace VanderWaal, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Francis Ford Coppola, Romy Croquet, Adam Driver, Kathryn Hunter, Laurence Fishburne, Chloe Fineman and Nathalie Emmanuel at the ‘Megalopolis’ at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16.Samir Hussein/WireImage

Samir Hussein/WireImage

In July,Varietypublished footage reportedly from the scene in question, in which Coppola seeminglykisses and dances with female extraswhile filming in a night club. An anonymous source told the outlet that he announced aloud his intention to kiss those in the scene. Background actress Rayna Menz, who appears in the footage, refuted the claims against Coppola in an Instagram message. She toldDeadline, “He was nothing but professional, a gentleman, he was like this cute Italian grandfather, running around the set.”

A Roman history-inspired epic,Megalopolistells the story of an idealist architect (Driver) and corrupt mayor (Giancarlo Esposito) battling for control of the future of a decaying city. It costars Nathalie Emmanuel,Aubrey Plaza,Laurence Fishburne,Jon Voight,Grace VanderWaal,Shia LaBeoufandDustin Hoffman, plus Coppola’s sisterTalia Shireand her sonJason Schwartzman.

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“The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare,” per an official synopsis. “Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero, the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.”

Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel in ‘Megalopolis’.American Zoetrope / Megalopolis / Mihai Malaimare

American Zoetrope / Megalopolis / Mihai Malaimare

Speaking toRolling Stone, Coppola also speculated as to why those behind the reports were attempting to “damage"Megalopolis. “There’s a prevailing tendency in Hollywood to say, if you follow our rules, you’ll have a better chance of a success,” he said. “I’m trying to do something different here. Film is change. I mean, the movies that your grandchildren are going to make are going to be nothing like what we see now.”

Megalopolis, from distributor Lionsgate, is in theaters Sept. 27.

source: people.com