Francis Ford Coppola Admits To Kissing Extras On Set Amid Bombshell Report About Inappropriate Behavior During 'Megalopolis' Filming

Francis Ford Coppola has admitted to kissing young women on the set of his new film "Megalopolis" but insisted that there was nothing inappropriate about these interactions.

The acclaimed director, 85, faced allegations of unprofessional behavior back in May when The Guardian released a bombshell report claiming eyewitnesses saw Coppola allegedly attempt to "kiss some of the topless and scantily clad female extras" to "get them in the mood" while filming a bacchanalian nightclub scene.

Coppola was also accused of making women on his set sit on his lap.

When asked about the allegations that he acted inappropriately toward "Megalopolis" extras during a new interview with Rolling Stone, Coppola vehemently denied them, calling the claims "totally untrue."

Coppola said that he was only greeting women he knew with kisses on the cheek.

"The young women I kissed on the cheek in regards to the New Year's scene -- they were young women I knew," he told the magazine.

When he was previously asked about the allegations in June, Coppola denied kissing and touching female extras.

"I'm not touchy-feely," he told the New York Times at the time. "I'm too shy."

Coppola's new statement came after Variety published two videos that appeared to back the claims made by The Guardian's eyewitnesses.

The clips, which were reposted on X, formerly Twitter, showed Coppola grabbing, hugging and kissing several female extras playing partygoers in a nightclub scene filmed in February 2023 at an Atlanta concert hall.

An unnamed source told Variety that Coppola had ruined some shots due to his actions, which were described as "unprofessional" and "uncommon."

The insider claimed that at one point, Coppola grabbed a microphone and said, "Sorry, if I come up to you and kiss you. Just know it's solely for my pleasure."

In a statement to the publication, "Megalopolis" executive producer Darren Demetre said Coppola gave "kind hugs and kisses on the cheek to the cast and background players" in order to "help inspire and establish the club atmosphere."

According to Demetre, they received no complaints of harassment or ill behavior during the production of the film.

However, Variety's sources claimed that crew members appeared uncomfortable by Coppola's actions but had no one to report him to due to a lack of an "HR department" for the film funded by the director.

In his Rolling Stone interview, Coppola alleged that news outlets were simply "looking for some sort of dirt" to release about him ahead of "Megalopolis'" world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

The "Godfather" director speculated that the "eyewitnesses" quoted by The Guardian were the same insiders who gave quotes for a 2023 Hollywood Reporter exclusive that said Coppola's movie was "in peril" due to a "ballooning budget" and "crew exodus."

"The truth of the matter is, they were looking for some sort of dirt," Coppola alleged.

"It's all so ridiculous," he continued. "Look at the timing of that article. It's right before we're about to premiere the film at Cannes. They're just trying to damage the picture."

As for why he believes anyone would try to damage his new movie, Coppola said he believes Hollywood's most powerful may have wanted to make an example out of him for not following its "rules."

"There's a prevailing tendency in Hollywood to say, if you follow our rules, you'll have a better chance of a success. 'Well, what about Francis? He doesn't follow your rules.' 'Well, look, what's going to happen to him, he's going to have a failure,'" he claimed.

"I'm trying to do something different here," Coppola added. "Film is change. I mean, the movies that your grandchildren are going to make are going to be nothing like what we see now.