While saying the Guardian’s report that he tried to kiss female extras was ‘totally untrue’, the director told Rolling Stone ‘they were young women I knew’
that said the director tried to kiss female extras during preparation for a “bacchanalian nightclub scene”, and that significant numbers of crew left the project during production.
Describing the Guardian report as “totally untrue” Coppola said: “The young women I kissed on the cheek, in regards to the New Year’s scene, they were young women I knew.” Referring to the Guardian’s report on high crew turnover Coppola said: “The truth of the matter is, they were looking for some sort of dirt.”
In the Guardian’s original report, Megalopolis’ executive co-producer Darren Demetre said that, during the club scene, “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 ... I was never aware of any complaints of harassment or ill behaviour during the course of the project.
Rayna Menz, an actor who said she was one of the extras involved in the nightclub scene was supportive of Coppola,: “He did nothing to make me or for that matter anyone on set feel uncomfortable.” In contrast, Lauren Pagone, another performer in the scene,: “I was in shock. I didn’t expect him to kiss and hug me like that. I was caught off guard. And I can tell you he came around a couple times.”
Megalopolis premiered at the Cannes film festival in May, and is due for release on 26 September in Australia and 27 September in the US and UK.
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