EXCLUSIVE: Our sister publication Variety last Friday published for clicks what it called an exclusive video of Francis Ford Coppola kissing Megalopolis extras, along with crew members who detailed what they called unprofessional behavior on set. The story did not get much traction, though it caused pain for the filmmaker: it broke and he found out about the story as he was on his way to join his incoming children and relatives as they were gathering for a family memorial for Eleanor Coppola, director of the iconic documentary Heart of Darkness, to whom FFC was married for more than 60 years.
Now, the extra in that pseudo-salacious video reveal, Rayna Menz, has come forward with a complete denial that Coppola misbehaved at all during those scenes. She posted on Instagram that she was disgusted by the insinuation that Coppola behaved anything but professionally.
“He did nothing to make me or for that matter anyone on set feel uncomfortable,” Menz told Deadline. “I felt disgusted, I was blindsided by it because it was a closed set. That someone had video of that is just ridiculous and super unprofessional. It’s gross because he only ever spoke about how wonderful his wife is. His wife was on set with us, most days. It feels gross, seeing that video and they way they were trying to convey a message. Just gross.”
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The insinuation, which the trade said corroborated a charge published during Cannes in a London tabloid, was just not true, she said.
“It was all false,” Menz said. “In fact, I was the one who asked him to dance. I asked him to dance, in front of everybody else. That’s why it’s so funny that this story came out. He even said, something along the lines of — mind you it was over a year ago so this is not a proper quote — but he said something like, ‘I’m a gentleman, and I would never say no to a lady.’ And then we waltzed, to club music.
He was nothing but professional, a gentleman, he was like this cute Italian grandfather, running around the set,” she said. “It was just so much fun. He’s a nice generous person.”
This was just the latest in a trail of surprisingly aggressive reports, including one by out other sister trade, THR, which used Coppola letting go some below the liners to fuel a report that his production was out of control. Coppola said his film came in on time and on budget. One wonders why journos are working so hard trying to tarnish one of the greatest living filmmakers America has produced, at a time when he is grieving he loss of his wife. Some would think it a good time to celebrate Coppola for his bold gamble to put $120 million of his own money into Megalopolis. Love or hate the film, but in this moment of corporate cowardice, Coppola should get some credit for seeing through a movie he spent decades thinking about, whose message he hopes will be appreciated long after he passes away. When he does pass, all these naysaying trades will provide reverential coverage. Why wait to treat him with some dignity and respect?
The post Salacious Variety ‘Megalopolis’ Video A Sham, Says Rayna Menz, The Extra Shown With Francis Coppola appeared first on Deadline.
