A dispute over whether Francis Ford Coppola displayed unprofessional behavior on Megalopolis The situation is escalating and multiple parties are filing cross-suits.
Coppola filed suit on Wednesday Variety for defamation. He denied claims that traditional checks and balances to protect against sexual harassment were not in place and accused the publication of falsifying statements. That followed one of the extras filing a lawsuit on Monday detailing sexual harassment allegations against the director.
The cases were filed at Megalopolis which is scheduled for release in about two weeks. Penske Media Corporation, which owns both Variety AND DAYdid not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In July, Variety reported that Coppola “appeared to act with impunity on the set” following a previous story of the guardian who claimed that he had “tried to kiss some of the topless and scantily clad extras.” It reported, citing two sources, that his behavior was “unprofessional” and that the director “kept jumping up to hug and kiss several women, often inadvertently intruding on the scene and ruining it.” Coppola later asked for a correction and a retraction from Varietywho according to the complaint refused to do so.
In the lawsuit, Coppola said a video attached to the article purporting to show him trying to kiss extras did not actually do so. He also denied claims that the production did not have a human resources department to handle sexual harassment complaints.
The director also disputed accusations that he ruined some scenes by inserting himself into some shots.
“The true facts are that there were four cameras rolling during the above-referenced scene and three of the cameras were mobile, with the crew frequently changing positions,” the complaint states. “Therefore, due to the multiple camera angles, at different times, crew members and Coppola were in some of the shots. This was expected and unavoidable. This is one of the reasons shots are edited.”
For the production, cast and crew members signed a nondisclosure agreement, which the complaint says was intended to “ensure discretion and confidentiality” and “avoid outside interference or involvement.” Coppola, who is seeking at least $15 million, argued that Variety he should have known his sources were “unreliable” because they had signed a non-disclosure agreement, which they later violated.
Coppola’s denial of the reports of unprofessional behavior clashes with a lawsuit filed by Lauren Pagone, who appeared in the controversial nightclub scenes, in Georgia state court.
In her complaint, Pagone alleged that Coppola kissed and touched her without consent, despite being told there would be no sexual content in the shoot. She said an intimacy coordinator was not provided for the scene with whom she could have discussed her concerns. The lawsuit resulted in claims of battery, assault and failure to prevent sexual harassment, among others.
In June, Lionsgate revealed it would bring Coppola’s $120 million passion project to U.S. theaters. It did not pay for marketing, with the director footing the bill.