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Francis Ford Coppola Says He Cast 'Canceled' Actors In Megalopolis Because He Didn't Want The Film To Be Deemed 'Some Woke Hollywood Production'
In a new interview, Francis Ford Coppola shared that he cast canceled actors for Megalopolis to avoid a woke label and unite diverse political views, sparking a conversation on America's divisions.
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to sexual abuse
In a recent interview, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola revealed that he purposefully cast actors who were "canceled" in Megalopolis because he didn’t want his film to be deemed as “some woke Hollywood production.” The much-hyped film, which stars actors like Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, and Dustin Hoffman, was discussed in detail in an interview with Rolling Stone.
LeBeouf is currently facing a lawsuit filed by former girlfriend and singer-songwriter FKA Twigs over allegations of sexual abuse, while Hoffman was accused of sexual harassment of a 17-year-old intern with whom he worked on the set of 1985’s Death of a Salesman, per Deadline. Voight, meanwhile, is a known supporter of former President Donald Trump, which has been a point of contention between him and his daughter Angelina Jolie, per the publication.
“What I didn’t want to happen is that we’re deemed some woke Hollywood production that’s simply lecturing viewers,” Coppola said, elaborating that the cast of the upcoming Lionsgate film features people who were canceled at one point or another in their life. The filmmaker said that it was interesting having both arch-conservatives and politically progressive people working together on a project.
Megalopolis stars Adam Driver as an architect on a mission to build a dream utopian city after a catastrophic incident leaves a New York-like metropolis in ruins. His dreams make him an enemy of the city’s ruthless mayor and other vengeful figures. With the movie, Coppola aims to start a conversation about why America is divided right now. The director believes that’s going to provide the nation with the energy to defeat the people who want to destroy the country, he told Rolling Stone.
The $120 million film has not been estranged from controversies ever since its premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it left the critics divided. Reports of Coppola allegedly kissing extras during the filming of a party scene made headlines around the same time. An additional controversy erupted this month when Lionsgate had to pull its recently debuted trailer offline because it featured made-up quotes from movie critics.
The studio is still set to release the film in theaters on September 27. Before that, Megalopolis will also screen at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Aubrey Plaza, Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Fishburne, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Giancarlo Esposito round out the film's cast.
If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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