An extra who says she was sexually harassed and assaulted on the set of Francis Ford Coppola’s metro Atlanta-shot feature “Megalopolis” has filed a lawsuit against the director, his production company and two casting agencies, accusing them of failing to stop the alleged abuse.
In the complaint, filed Monday in Fulton County Superior Court, plaintiff Lauren Pagone alleges Coppola kissed her cheek and touched multiple parts of her body without her consent during a club scene filmed in Atlanta on Feb. 14, 2023. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution typically doesn’t name possible victims of sexual harassment but Pagone came forward with her allegations to the public, including an interview with Variety last month.
Coppola called Pagone “beautiful,” asked if she was Italian and instructed her to sit on his lap and call him “uncle,” the lawsuit said. After grabbing her, Pagone moved across the room to distance herself from Coppola, but between takes, Coppola found her again in the crowd, according to the complaint.
At one point, he rubbed and massaged Pagone’s body in an up-and-down motion repeatedly, the suit said. Pagone was alarmed by how aggressive Coppola was toward her, according to the complaint. When she tried to move away from him, Coppola gripped her arm, holding her in place, the complaint said.
While filming the scene, Coppola spoke into a microphone and announced to the cast: “Sorry, if I come up to you and kiss you. Just know it’s solely for my pleasure,” the complaint alleges. That quote was also published in the August Variety story, attributed to an unnamed crew member.
Counsel for Pagone, as well as representatives for both casting agencies, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rudjard Hayes, an attorney for Coppola, said Tuesday “there is nothing to say at this time.”
The Guardian published an article in May of this year detailing allegations of Coppola kissing extras, with the director claiming he was “trying (to) get them in the mood.” The Guardian report also said Coppola showed up late to shoots and sat in his trailer for hours, often allegedly smoking marijuana.
Coppola, in an interview with Rolling Stone in August, called the Guardian article untrue.
“The young women I kissed on the cheek, in regards to the New Year’s scene, they were young women I knew,” Coppola told Rolling Stone. “It’s all so ridiculous. 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.”
The Guardian piece also included comments from one of the film’s executive producers, Darren Demetre, who said he has known and worked with Coppola and his family for more than 35 years.
“There were two days when we shot a celebratory Studio 54-esque club scene where Francis walked around the set to establish the spirit of the scene by giving kind hugs and kisses on the cheek to the cast and background players. It was his way to help inspire and establish the club atmosphere, which was so important to the film. I was never aware of any complaints of harassment or ill behavior during the course of the project,” Demetre stated to the Guardian.
Demetre did not immediately respond to the AJC’s request for comment on the lawsuit.
Last month, Variety published footage of the filmmaker walking through the crowd and kissing female background actors.
After this, Pagone came forward to the media to share her experience, telling Variety: “I was in shock. I didn’t expect him to kiss and hug me like that. I was caught off guard. And I can tell you he came around a couple times.”
A representative of Coppola declined to comment to Variety in August when Pagone came forward.
Another woman in the video, Rayna Menz, denied Coppola misbehaved during those scenes. She posted on Instagram in July that none of the claims are true and she said was disgusted by the allegations. In an interview with Deadline, Menz said: “He did nothing to make me, or for that matter, anyone on set feel uncomfortable.”
“Megalopolis” has endured mixed reviews as it heads toward a Sept. 27 opening in theaters. About two weeks ago, the film’s distributor, Lionsgate, had to pull a trailer that contained fabricated quotes from critics.
Pagone was cast for multiple roles in “Megalopolis.” One was an extra role in scenes that filmed in January, and the other was a body double role during the club scene that required nudity.
For the body double role, Pagone told the costume department during her fitting that she was only comfortable with being topless if an intimacy coordinator was on site, the lawsuit said. An intimacy coordinator works with actors, directors and other crew members to choreograph and plan scenes involving simulated sex or nudity. The film did not have an intimacy coordinator on site for this scene, the complaint said, so she was given a spaghetti-strap shirt with a plunging neckline and bikini bottoms with fishnet tights.
Variety previously reported ”Megalopolis” had two intimacy coordinators. Neither were present during shooting of the nightclub scene, one of the coordinators told the publication.
The absence of an intimacy coordinator was “negligent and below the standard of care for the film industry” because the scene included nudity and sexual content, the complaint alleges. SAG-AFTRA’s most recent contract with studios and streamers, ratified last December, codified language around intimacy coordinators, saying producers must use their best efforts to engage them for scenes involving nudity or simulated sex, and shall not retaliate against performers for requesting one on set. This contract was enacted after filming of Megalopolis wrapped.
The defendants knew or should have known of Coppola’s “propensity to sexually harass women actors,” and failed to take action to prevent him from doing so, according to the complaint. The two casting agencies listed in the suit are Rose Locke Casting and CL Casting.
“Megalopolis” follows a visionary architect, played by Adam Driver, clashing with a corrupt mayor, played by Giancarlo Esposito, as he seeks to rebuild a futuristic metropolis after a disaster. Coppola filmed much of it at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville.
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