Sofia Coppola comes from a very impressive filmmaking pedigree. The daughter of iconic director Francis Ford Coppola, she emerged from her father’s shadows to bring her own unique voice to storytelling with films like Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, and her latest biopic, Priscilla, which took the Venice film festival by storm this year.
Expectedly, Coppola’s expertise has made her one of Hollywood’s most sought-after directors. But the celebrity has been choosy about her scripts. The Virgin Suicides filmmaker was called to direct the final film in the blockbuster Twilight series but rejected the offer as she could not relate to the narrative.
Why Sofia Coppola Turned Down Breaking Dawn
The Twilight film series based on the books of the same name, became a cult franchise, especially among teenagers and young adults. Along with a good-looking cast consisting of Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner who went on to become superstars, the films became a sensation with audiences all over the world.
While each installment was given to different directors to helm, the final book which was divided into two films titled Breaking Dawn Part One and Two, was originally supposed to have been directed by Sofia Coppola, who was the first choice of the production house. Coppola however, turned down this offer and stated her reasons for the same despite having positive things to say about the franchise. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the Lost in Translation filmmaker said,
“We had one meeting, and it never went anywhere…I thought the whole imprinting-werewolf thing was weird. The baby. Too weird! But part of the earlier Twilight could be done in an interesting way. I thought it’d be fun to do a teen vampire romance, but the last one gets really far out”.
Coppola has also rejected other lucrative projects including Disney Studios’ live-action film, The Little Mermaid, stating that she would be moving out of her comfort zone.
Sofia Coppola Lent Her Support To Actors’ Strike
There is still no clear resolution or outcome that has risen from the ongoing Actors Strike. Meanwhile, many Hollywood celebrities have backed the revolution by lending their support through generous financial contributions and using their voice and influence to make a statement. Oscar-winning filmmaker and writer Sofia Coppola who was recently at the Venice Film Festival after 20 years to premier her film Priscilla, took the opportunity to voice her opinions on the ongoing Strike.
Clarifying that she was promoting and supporting her independent film and crew, Coppola added that she was completely behind the Union and all the hard work they were doing to ensure fair compensation for all artists. The writer-director also went on to state her wish that the issues surrounding the Strike be resolved soon and that everyone could get back to working and receiving the appreciation that they all deserve.
