Francis Ford Coppola Wanted ‘Megalopolis’ Without “Woke Hollywood” Influence

Megalopolis filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola revealed that he deliberately cast actors who had faced cancellation in the upcoming epic. His aim was to avoid his film being dismissed as “some woke Hollywood production.”

The journey to the film’s September 27 release by Lionsgate has not been without controversy. From divisive opinions at its Cannes premiere in May to reports of on-set disagreements, the film has captured attention. Coppola, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, expressed hope that the movie will spark conversations.

“What I didn’t want to happen is that we’re deemed some woke Hollywood production that’s simply lecturing viewers,” said Coppola. “The cast features people who were canceled at one point or another. There were people who are arch conservatives and others who are extremely politically progressive. But we were all working on one film together. That was interesting, I thought.”

The $120 million film stars Adam Driver as an ambitious architect, Cesar Catilina, who aspires to turn a dazzling city into a utopia using his innovative material called megalon. The narrative, inspired by Roman epics, features Giancarlo Esposito and Nathalie Emmanuel as leads, and has been in development for over four decades.

However, the casting of support actors like Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, and Dustin Hoffman has raised some eyebrows. LaBeouf is currently facing a lawsuit from his former girlfriend, FKA Twigs, over allegations of physical and sexual abuse. Hoffman was accused of sexually harassing a 17-year-old intern in 1985, and Voight is known for his far-right beliefs and steadfast support of former President Donald Trump, which has strained his relationship with his daughter, Angelina Jolie.

“This steers me toward politics, and my publicist will yell at me if I start talking about politics,” Coppola said with a laugh. “This movie won’t cure our ills. But I honestly believe that what will save us is the fact that we’ve got to talk about the future. We want to be able to ask any questions we have to ask in order to really look at why this country is divided right now, and that’s going to provide an energy that will defeat those people who want to destroy our republic. I made this film to contribute to that. And all I want is for this movie to start a conversation. You can’t have a utopia without a conversation.”

Ironically, Megalopolis boasts a diverse cast including Aubrey Plaza, Chloe Fineman, Laurence Fishburne, Coppola’s sister Talia Shire, nephew Jason Schwartzman, granddaughter Romy Mars, and America’s Got Talent winner Grace VanderWaal. Voight portrays a character resembling a Trump-like figure, although he publicly disagrees with that interpretation.

Coppola has previously spoken about his appreciation for the range of political views among his film’s actors. “One of the things I might say about our wonderful cast is that they reflect all sorts of political ideas,” Coppola stated at a press conference following the Cannes premiere. Voight, in response, remarked that the director’s goal is to “make a better world.”

Source: Rolling Stone