Sofia Coppola said the brutal criticisms surrounding her infamous performance in greatest sequels ever made. Although it was nominated for Best Picture and earned $136 million at the box office, The Godfather Part III has maintained a complicated reputation among film circles due to its unnecessarily complex plot and unfair comparison to the first two installments, both of which are highly celebrated classics.
Much of the movie's criticism also centered around Sofia Coppola's performance as Michael Corleone's daughter Mary. Winona Ryder, who was originally cast in the role, dropped out at the last minute due to illness, forcing Francis Ford Coppola to hastily make his daughter the replacement. The decision was viewed as Hollywood nepotism, which seemed even more glaring due to the fact that Sofia Coppola's performance was widely cited by critics as the film's biggest blemish. Coppola herself was raked over the coals in the press, an event that could certainly prove traumatic for the 19-year-old daughter of a man considered a Hollywood legend.
On the press circuit for her father's re-cut 30th-anniversary edition of The Godfather Part III, Sofia Coppola told The New York Times that the criticisms didn't destroy her and actually made her a stronger artist as a result. Despite being the media scapegoat for the movie's perceived lack of quality, it didn't diminish Coppola's dreams in show business since she never set out to be an actress in the first place. Check out the excerpt from Coppola's interview below:
"It was embarrassing to be thrown out to the public in that kind of way. But it wasn’t my dream to be an actress, so I wasn’t crushed. I had other interests. It didn’t destroy me... it taught me that as a creative person, you have to put your work out there. It toughens you up. I know it’s a cliché, but it can make you stronger."
Her performance in The Godfather 3 is now largely overshadowed by her lengthy career as an acclaimed director in her own right. Coppola's 1999 debut The Virgin Suicides introduced the world to her unique brand of feminine storytelling and has since become a cult classic. Just five years later, she would win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for her beloved comedy-drama Lost in Translation, solidifying her as one of the most distinctive cinematic artists of her generation. Her latest film On the Rocks, which reunited her with star Bill Murray and is currently streaming on Apple TV+, also received positive reviews from critics, with the movie's lighter tone praised as a successful departure from the heavier drama of her previous efforts.
Sofia Coppola is far from the only person to move behind the camera following an unsuccessful run in acting. After earning several small roles in TV series and a three-season stint on Sons of Anarchy, Taylor Sheridan turned to writing and directing after becoming disillusioned with acting. The transition paid off, as Sheridan's script for Hell or High Water scored him a Best Original Screenplay nomination and his directorial effort Wind River earned praise as a smart, skillfully made mystery. Fans of Sofia Coppola can rejoice that her experience with The Godfather 3 didn't discourage her from pursuing her filmmaking dreams, which eventually became a reality that fans are still enjoying to this day.
Source: The New York Times
