In the wake of disturbing footage showing what seems to be Francis Ford Coppola kissing an extra on the set of Megalopolis, the actress has spoken out.
Two brief behind-the-scenes recordings captured by Coppola’s team during the production of a club scene in Atlanta were published last week. The videos seemed to show the 85-year-old filmmaker leaning into various women.
Megalopolis extra Lauren Pagone alleges that during a live-action shoot of the club scene, director Francis Ford Coppola leaned over, drew her close, kissed her, and then briefly danced with her.
“I was taken aback,” she said.
Pagone claims that an intimacy coordinator was present for the nudity scenes in all of her prior films, including Mayor of Kingstown (Paramount+) and City on Fire (Apple TV+).
According to the publication’s analysis of a call sheet, women were authorized to perform the nightclub scene without tops. Pagone was not nude, even though her clothing had a revealing low neckline.
The nightclub sequence that happened on February 14, 2023, in Atlanta’s Tabernacle, was recorded without Megalopolis intimacy coordinators Ashley Anderson and Samantha McDonald.
A different member of the cast recently came forward to say that they saw Coppola kiss “multiple women” in another scenario at a New Year’s Eve celebration.
Before shooting the scene, Coppola told the extras he wanted them to kiss each other at the end of the countdown, much like at a regular New Year’s Eve party. He also dropped hints that he would personally kiss a few people.
Reportedly, Coppola stood up, stopped a number of women who were passing him, and kissed them on the cheek after the scene was cut.
A film employee who was present for the majority of the filming confirmed that Coppola pulled in actresses for a kiss in the New Year’s Eve scene, adding that it was one of “several instances” when he had done this.
Because everything was so “super weird” and unpleasant, the man said, their time on set was the worst experience he had ever had on a film shoot.
After several takes, Coppola took a microphone and apologized to everyone on the set, adding that the actors should be assured that everything is done entirely for “my enjoyment.”
