In a Rare Interview, Francis Ford Coppola Opens Up About ‘Godfather’s’ Legacy: ‘I Thought It Was Going to Be a Special Failure’
variety.comJenelle Riley Deputy Awards, Features EditorFrancis Ford Coppola is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 21, almost 50 years to the day “The Godfather” hit theaters.
While that film launched his career into the stratosphere, Coppola cemented himself as one of our greatest auteurs thanks to his impressive output in the following years with films including “The Conversation,” “Apocalypse Now” and of course, the “Godfather” sequels.The filmmaker is both excited and practical about the honor.
When one expresses surprise he doesn’t already have a star on the Walk of Fame, he says: “The way that it works is that when a picture opens, the studio that has financed or distributed it pays to get your name on the street.
Since I have either financed or distributed my own movies, I’ve never had the good fortune of having a studio take that event.” He is also quick to point out that George Lucas, his longtime friend and fellow legendary filmmaker, doesn’t have a star. “If anyone deserves a star on the Walk of Fame, it’s George,” he says. “I’ll give him mine.”At the same time, Coppola admits it’s a special thrill to receive such an accolade, even though he’s “shy” about being singled out. “Although it seems as though I’ve been a rebel against Hollywood, in fact I am a Hollywood creature.
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