An extra from Francis Ford Coppola’s film ‘Megalopolis’ has spoken out about feeling shocked when the director unexpectedly kissed her during filming. Her statement follows the release of videos showing Coppola kissing female background actors while moving through a crowd.
Lauren Pagone, who appeared in multiple scenes as an extra in ‘Megalopolis’, described how ‘The Godfather’ director Coppola approached her during a nightclub scene, pulled her towards him, hugged her, and kissed her while the cameras were rolling.
“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 of times,” she told Variety in an interview.
Lauren Pagone, who has recently worked on projects like Paramount+’s ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ and Apple TV+’s ‘City on Fire’ described the incident with Francis Ford Coppola as unusual. She noted that, unlike her previous experiences, there was no intimacy coordinator present during the filming of the nightclub scene in ‘Megalopolis’. According to a call sheet reviewed by Variety, several female actors were cleared for topless nudity during this scene, though Pagone did not appear nude and wore a top with a plunging neckline.
‘Megalopolis’ intimacy coordinator Samantha McDonald previously told the same publication that neither she nor Ashley Anderson, the film’s other intimacy coordinator, were on set for the nightclub scene, which was filmed on Feb. 14, 2023, at Atlanta’s Tabernacle concert hall. “I can’t really speak to the reason why they chose to bring us in when they did and not when they didn’t,” McDonald said.
Earlier, Rayna Menz, one of the actors seen in the nightclub videos that earlier went viral, told Deadline that Coppola ‘did nothing to make me or anyone on set feel uncomfortable’. She is yet to respond after fresh allegations have been levelled against Cappola.
I don’t appreciate anybody speaking for me. I would never speak for that actress,” Pagone said, adding, “I’ve kept my mouth shut. I’ve kept quiet. But it’s frustrating that she’s putting out there, ‘Hey, it was great for everyone’ when she doesn’t know what other people were feeling. You can’t speak for anyone but yourself. My experience was different.”
Recently, another cast member told Variety they saw Coppola kissing "multiple women" during a New Year's Eve scene. Before filming, Coppola instructed extras to act naturally at a holiday party and kiss at the countdown's end, adding that he might join in and kiss a few people himself. After calling cut, Coppola got up and kissed multiple women on the cheek as they passed by.
“The women that I saw being kissed did not see him coming. He just basically grabbed them and planted the kiss on them without any kind of consent,” the person added. “They all kind of laughed it off for a moment and then I could tell that they were just surprised.”
The crew member who shot the video shared by the publication confirmed that Coppola kissed female extras during the New Year’s Eve sequence, stating it was one of several instances where he kissed background performers. The cast member, experienced with high-profile productions in Atlanta, said “My entire experience being on that set was super weird and uncomfortable. It was probably the worst experience for me on a set ever.”
Videos published by Variety support a May report in the Guardian that claimed 85-year-old director Coppola tried to ‘kiss some topless and scantily clad female extras’, saying he was ‘trying to get them in the mood’. In one video, Coppola approaches Pagone, pulls her closer, and appears to hug and kiss her.
Sources stated Coppola, who directed classics like ‘The Godfather’, acted with impunity on set since he financed the 120 million dollar budget himself, leaving no formal HR department for complaints. The crew member who shot the video told Variety that Coppola frequently hugged and kissed several women, often disrupting shots. Pagone confirmed the video was taken during a live shot, not a break.
The crew member said that after multiple takes, Coppola got on a microphone and announced in earshot of everyone in the room, “Sorry, if I come up to you and kiss you. Just know it’s solely for my pleasure.”
‘Megalopolis’, which stars Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza and Shia LaBeouf, will be released by Lionsgate on Sept. 27.
