Francis Ford Coppola Accused Of Inflammatory Behavior During Megalopolis Shoot
Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis has been in development for over 40 years, with many insiders expecting the film to never come to fruition. Despite this, the production has pressed on through thick and thin, resulting in a completed film ready for a Cannes Film Festival premiere in only a matter of days from this writing.
Unfortunately, according to a report in The Guardian, Coppola engaged in some unsavory conduct behind the scenes of the film, leaving some fans to question if they even want to watch it when it finally arrives.
Another Director Accused Of Inappropriate Behavior
Francis Ford Coppola’s alleged behavior included inappropriate kissing and touching of female performers on the set of Megalopolis, as well as grabbing several women and pulling them onto his lap. While there seem to be no explicit claims of sexual harassment or assault maligning the auteur filmmaker, these claims paint a picture of a man who has a shaky relationship with consent, if true.
Multiple actors and crew members of the sprawling film have come forward to discuss varying degrees of frustration or awe for Coppola throughout the production.
Described As An Old School Shoot
Insiders have used terminology such as “old school” to describe Francis Ford Coppola’s behavior on the set of Megalopolis, arguing that this treatment of female employees was the norm in Hollywood during the previous century. Coppola has been making movies since the late 1950s, so perhaps he can be afforded a small amount of leeway for doing things that seem outside of the box to young up-and-comers.
Still, the report alleges that the filmmaker would frequently kiss female extras on the mouth before shooting club scenes in order to “get them in the mood,” which obviously cannot be excused by age or experience.
Claims Megalopolis Is His Magnum Opus
Executive co-producer Darren Demetre spoke of Francis Ford Coppola with The Guardian, explaining that the Megalopolis filmmaker’s erratic approach to the movie rubbed some people the wrong way.
Demetre says, nobody has come forward to formally accuse the Godfather director of assault or harassment at this time, despite what the eye-catching headlines may have you believe. Coppola’s insistence in crafting his so-called magnum opus served as the impetus for a lot of unpleasantness on set, with the director snapping at people and refusing to leave his trailer several times throughout the shoot.
No Stranger To Troubled Productions
Since Francis Ford Coppola began helming feature films, no project has ever taken him as much time, effort, planning, rewrites, and personal funding as Megalopolis. The script is said to have undergone more than 300 rewrites in the four decades since it was first conceptualized, which is surely enough to drive anyone a little batty.
With any luck, the film will be so sp
A Reminder Of Bad Hollywood Behavior
These stories serve as a stark reminder that Hollywood’s extortion of performers dates back to its earliest days and often goes underreported and unexamined. If Francis Ford Coppola’s behavior on the set of Megalopolis was truly afoul of people’s personal boundaries and consent, he should be made to answer for his actions.
Source: The Guardian
