“Creative genius” Francis Ford Coppola suing ‘Variety’ over on-set behavior stories

One of the most recognized names in Hollywood is going after one of the most recognized trades about Hollywood. 

Francis Ford Coppola is suing Variety — and two of its writers specifically — for libel over articles that alleged he made unwanted advances toward female extras on his movie Megalopolis. 

The coverage claimed Coppola hugged, kissed and danced with extras behind the scenes of a party scene in the film.

Incidentally, Lauren Pagone, one of those actresses quoted in an Aug. 2 follow-up article, has sued “the filmmaker and others in Georgia for civil battery, civil assault, and negligent failure to prevent sexual harassment,” according to Deadline. 

Coppola’s motion, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, doesn’t mention that lawsuit. 

However, the trade says his suit claims the original July 26 article contains “false and defamatory statements” meant to “damage” his reputation and cause him “severe emotional distress.” 

Deadline quotes the suit from Coppola’s attorneys: “Some people are creative. Very few people are creative geniuses. In the world of motion pictures, Plaintiff Francis Ford Coppola … is a creative genius. Some people are jealous and resentful of genius. Those people therefore denigrate and tell knowing and reckless falsehoods about those of whom they are jealous.”

Further, it says, “Variety Media, LLC … its writers and editors, hiding behind supposedly anonymous sources, accused Coppola of manifest incompetence as a motion picture director, of unprofessional behavior on the set of his most recent production,” adding, “Each of these accusations was false and knowingly so.”

Coppola is seeking $15 million in damages.

After the original Variety piece broke, Deadline ran an interview with another extra, Rayna Menz, who insisted the director “did nothing to make me or for that matter anyone on set feel uncomfortable.”

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