Videos from the set of Megalopolis have surfaced that see director Francis Ford Coppola kissing background actors on the cheek during the filming of a party scene.
Variety has obtained the videos, writing that they were taken by a crewmember. They show the director walking through a crowded dance floor, hugging and interacting with various dancing women and giving several a kiss on the cheek.
The videos come a couple of months after a previous report in the Guardian detailed Coppola’s behavior on the Atlanta set of his epic during the filming of the raucous nightclub scene, described as Studio 54-esque. The report described the Oscar winner walking through the crowd of extras, which included “topless and scantily clad female extras,” hugging some and kissing others on the cheek. The report had sources that said Coppola claimed his behavior was “to get them in the mood.” The new videos appear to corroborate what was described in the Guardian report.
When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for Coppola did not address the videos only noting that “this news was previously reported on in May.” They added: “Francis is looking forward to the global release of his film this fall.”
Megalopolis is due to be distributed by Lionsgate later this year following a long and fraught journey to the screen.
After decades in development, Coppola put part of his personal fortune into the $120 million project, which stars Adam Driver as a man obsessed with creating a utopian city. Following an industry screening in Los Angeles that left top studio executives scratching their heads and ended in no offers for distribution, the film headed the Cannes Film Festival where it received plenty of press coverage — particularly for a stunt where a live performer stands in front of the screen and interacts with the movie — and received mixed reviews.
