Sofia Coppola facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sofia Coppola
Coppola in 2023
Born	Sofia Carmina Coppola (1971-05-14) May 14, 1971 (age 54) New York City, U.S.
Other names	Domino Coppola
Occupation	Film director screenwriter producer actress
Years active	1972–present
Known for	Full list
Spouse(s)	Spike Jonze ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2003)​ Thomas Mars ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	2, including Romy Mars
Parent(s)	Francis Ford Coppola (father) Eleanor Neil (mother)
Relatives	Carmine Coppola (grandfather) Italia Pennino (grandmother) Gian-Carlo Coppola (brother) Roman Coppola (brother) August Coppola (uncle) Talia Shire (aunt) Gia Coppola (niece) Nicolas Cage (cousin) Marc Coppola (cousin) Christopher Coppola (cousin) Jason Schwartzman (cousin) Robert Schwartzman (cousin) Matthew Shire (cousin)
Family	Coppola
Awards	Full list

Sofia Carmina Coppola (born May 14, 1971) is an American filmmaker and former actress. She comes from a famous family of filmmakers. Her parents are Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola, who is a very well-known director.

Sofia Coppola has won many important awards for her films. These include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Golden Lion, and a Cannes Film Festival Award. She was also nominated for three BAFTA Awards.

She started acting when she was a baby in her father's famous movie, The Godfather (1972). Later, she appeared in music videos and other films. One of her most famous acting roles was as Mary Corleone in The Godfather Part III (1990).

Coppola then became a director. Her first full-length movie was The Virgin ... (1999). Her films often explore themes like loneliness, wealth, privilege, isolation, youth, and adolescence. She won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for her movie Lost in Translation (2003). She was also nominated for Best Director for that film, becoming one of the few women to receive this nomination.

Some of her other well-known films include Marie Antoinette (2006), Somewhere (2010), The Bling Ring (2013), The Beguiled (2017), and Priscilla (2023). In 2015, she also directed a Christmas musical special for Netflix called A Very Murray Christmas.

Early Life and Interests

Sofia Coppola was born in New York City on May 14, 1971. She is the youngest child of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and documentarian Eleanor. Her family has Italian roots. She grew up on her parents' farm in Rutherford, California.

When she was 15, Sofia worked as an intern for the fashion brand Chanel. She finished high school in 1989. She studied at Mills College and later at the California Institute of the Arts. There, she focused on painting. After college, she started her own clothing line called Milkfed. It is now sold only in Japan.

Growing up, Sofia had many interests. These included fashion, photography, music, and design. She did not originally plan to become a filmmaker. However, after making her first short film, Lick the Star, in 1998, she realized it brought together all the things she loved. This made her decide to become a director.

Filmmaking Journey

Early Acting Roles

Sofia Coppola started acting when she was a baby. She appeared in eight of her father's films. Her most famous early role was as the infant Michael Francis Rizzi in The Godfather. She also acted in The Outsiders (1983) and Peggy Sue Got Married (1986).

In 1990, she played Mary Corleone in The Godfather Part III. This role came to her at the last minute. The original actress, Winona Ryder, had to drop out. Sofia has said she never really wanted to act. She only did it to help her father. After this film, she mostly stopped acting.

Coppola in 2003

She did appear in a few other films and music videos in the 1990s. For example, she was in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). She played Saché, one of Queen Padmé Amidala's handmaidens.

Directorial Debut and Success

Sofia Coppola's first short film was Lick the Star (1998). Her first full-length movie as a director was The Virgin ... (1999). This film was based on a book by Jeffrey Eugenides. Sofia felt the book truly understood what it was like to be a teenager. The film received praise from critics. It helped Sofia become known as a filmmaker in her own right.

Coppola has worked with actor Bill Murray on three films, including Lost in Translation (2003).

Her second film, Lost in Translation (2003), brought her huge success. It won her an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It also won three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Picture. Sofia became the third woman ever nominated for an Academy Award for Directing. She was also the second woman to win the Original Screenplay award. This made her a third-generation Oscar winner in her family.

Building Her Career

Her third film was Marie Antoinette (2006). It was a movie about the life of the French queen. Kirsten Dunst played Marie Antoinette. The film was shot at the real Château de Versailles. Sofia wanted to show Marie Antoinette as an innocent person caught in a difficult situation. The film won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

Coppola's fourth film was Somewhere (2010). It was filmed at the famous Chateau Marmont hotel. The story is about an actor who has to take care of his daughter. This film won the important Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival. The jury president, Quentin Tarantino, said the film "grew and grew in our hearts."

Coppola in 2014

Her next movie, The Bling Ring (2013), was based on real events. It was about a group of teenagers who broke into celebrity homes. The film starred Emma Watson. It explored how reality TV culture influenced these teenagers.

In 2015, Sofia worked with actor Bill Murray again on A Very Murray Christmas. This was a Christmas musical comedy special for Netflix.

Coppola then directed The Beguiled (2017). It was a remake of an older film. It starred Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning, and Kirsten Dunst. This film won Sofia the Best Director award at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. She was the second woman and first American woman to win this award. The story was set during the American Civil War. It showed a wounded soldier entering a girls' school. Sofia wanted to tell the story from the women's point of view.

Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Coppola, Nicole Kidman at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival

Recent Work

Sofia Coppola's film On the Rocks (2020) tells the story of a daughter and her father. They explore New York City together. The film stars Rashida Jones and Bill Murray. It was released in theaters and on Apple TV+. Critics found it to be a lighter film than her previous works.

Her most recent film is Priscilla (2023). This movie is based on the life of Priscilla Presley. It tells her story from her own book, Elvis and Me. The film stars Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla and Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley. Sofia wanted to show Priscilla's side of her relationship with Elvis. The film premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival.

Coppola at a Q&A for Priscilla in 2023

Other Creative Projects

Television and Commercials

In the mid-1990s, Sofia Coppola had a short TV show on Comedy Central called Hi Octane. It featured underground music artists.

She has also directed many commercials. In 2008, her first commercial was for the Christian Dior perfume Miss Dior Chérie. She also directed Christmas ads for the clothing store Gap in 2014.

In 2022, Sofia Coppola appeared as herself in an episode of the TV show What We Do in the Shadows.

Fashion and Modeling

In the early 1990s, Sofia was often featured in magazines like Seventeen. In 1994, she helped start the clothing line Milk Fed in Japan. The famous fashion designer Marc Jacobs chose her to be the face of his Daisy perfume in 2001.

Stage Direction

In 2017, Sofia Coppola directed her first stage production. It was an opera called La Traviata in Rome, Italy. The famous fashion designer Valentino Garavani designed the costumes for the show. Sofia said she was motivated by Valentino to try something new and challenging. The opera was a huge success, with almost all 15 shows selling out. It set a record for ticket sales at the Rome Opera House.

Personal Life

In 1992, Sofia Coppola met director Spike Jonze. They got married in 1999 but divorced in 2003. Many people believe that the main character's husband in her film Lost in Translation was based on Spike Jonze.

From 2003 to 2005, Sofia dated filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. They are still friends.

Sofia Coppola married musician Thomas Mars on August 27, 2011. They met while working on the music for her film The Virgin .... They have two daughters: Romy (born 2006) and Cosima (born 2010). Romy's name is a tribute to Sofia's brother, Roman.

Sofia and her family lived in Paris for several years. They moved back to New York City in 2010. Sofia tries to keep her family's life private. She wants her daughters to have a normal upbringing, away from the spotlight.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Music videos

• "Shine" by Walt Mink (1993)
• "This Here Giraffe" by The Flaming Lips (1996)
• "Playground Love" by Air (2000)
• "City Girl" by Kevin Shields (2003)
• "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" by The White Stripes (2003)
• "Chloroform" by Phoenix (2013)

Advertisements

• Miss Dior Chérie fragrance for Christian Dior starring Maryna Linchuk (2008)
• City of Light fragrance for Christian Dior starring Natalie Portman (2012)
• Marni collection for H&M starring Imogen Poots (2012)
• La vie en rose for Christian Dior fragrance Miss Dior starring Natalie Portman (2013)
• Daisy fragrance for Marc Jacobs starring Ondria Hardin, Malaika Firth, Antonia Wesseloh, and Sophia Ahrens (2013)
• Dress Normal for Gap (2014)
• Calvin Klein Underwear Women's Spring (2017)
• New York City Ballet for the 2021 Spring Gala (2021)
• Suntory Time 100th anniversary tribute for Suntory whiskey featuring Keanu Reeves (2023)
• Barrie + Sofia Coppola capsule collection for Barrie featuring Margaret Qualley (2023)

Acting Roles

Film

Television

Music videos

• "Mildred Pierce" by Sonic Youth (1990) – directed by Dave Markey
• "Deeper and Deeper" by Madonna (1992) – directed by Bobby Woods
• "Sometimes Salvation" by The Black Crowes (1992) – directed by Stéphane Sednaoui
• "Elektrobank" by The Chemical Brothers (1997) – directed by Spike Jonze
• "Funky Squaredance" by Phoenix (2002) – directed by Roman Coppola

Awards and Recognitions

Sofia Coppola has received many awards for her work. For her film Lost in Translation (2003), she was nominated for three Academy Awards. These were for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. She won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Her nomination for Best Director made her the first American woman and third woman overall to be nominated in that category. She is also the youngest woman ever nominated for Best Director.

Her win for Best Original Screenplay meant her family became the second three-generation Oscar-winning family. Her grandfather Carmine Coppola and father Francis Ford Coppola had also won Oscars. For Lost in Translation, she also won Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture and Best Screenplay.

On September 11, 2010, Sofia Coppola's film Somewhere won the Golden Lion. This is the top prize at the Venice International Film Festival. She was the first American woman to win this award.

In 2016, her Christmas special A Very Murray Christmas was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

On May 28, 2017, Sofia Coppola won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival for her film The Beguiled. This made her the second woman and first American woman to win this award.

Books

In November 2023, Sofia Coppola released a book called Archive. It is a personal collection of behind-the-scenes content. It includes scripts, photographs, and details about how each of her films was made. The book covers all eight of her films. Sofia herself edited and added notes to the book.

Images for kids

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  Coppola in 2023

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  Coppola in 2003

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  Coppola has collaborated with Murray on three projects including Lost in Translation (2003).

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  Coppola in 2014

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  Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Coppola, Nicole Kidman at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival

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  Coppola at a Q&A for Priscilla in 2023

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  Coppola with President Bill Clinton and then-husband Spike Jonze at Three Kings screening on October 14, 1999.

See also

In Spanish: Sofia Coppola para niños

• Coppola family tree
• List of Academy Award–winning families