The Coppola family has plenty of famous members — including movie star Nicolas Cage. Although acting and filmmaking seem to be an inherent talent that can’t be gained simply through family connections, the Coppolas seem to prove otherwise. Many of them are genuinely talented individuals whose contributions to the film industry are significant, whether nepotism helped them get a head start or not.
The Coppolas aren’t the only family who have passed down their talent of influence over generations. Certain acting dynasties like the Barrymores (Drew included), the Redgrave family, the Baldwin brothers, the Wayans, and the Arquettes all suggest that it could just be in their genes. It’s more than likely that people in these family dynasties either thought they had to get into the film industry, trained their entire lives, or it was all they really knew and loved, so they dedicated their futures to taking up the family business.
Beginning in the late 1960s, the Coppola family cemented their status in Hollywood once Francis Ford Coppola jump-started his filmmaking career. After over 50 years, the Coppolas have produced some of the most important and beloved movies as well as bona fide stars like Nicolas Cage. That said, here’s a breakdown of the famous members of the Coppola family and what they’re best known for.
Francis Ford Coppola
The most notable Coppola who began the family’s dynasty in Hollywood, Francis Ford Coppola became one of the most significant directors in the New Hollywood age of the 1970s. Very anti-studio as a young filmmaker, Coppola started his own production company, American Zoetrope, which ran out of the Bay Area in California. During this time, he became a mentor to young up-and-coming filmmaker George Lucas. Coppola was known for financing his own films, which would often put him in profound debt, though would bounce back when he needed money by making another blockbuster hit. While still at the beginning of his directing career, Coppola helmed both The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, which would cement him as a revolutionary filmmaker. He also directed several other notable films over the years including Apocalypse Now and The Outsiders. After a long hiatus, Francis Ford Coppola is finally coming back to direct the upcoming film Megalopolis, which has already secured an all-star cast.
Nicolas Cage
Many are surprised to learn that movie star Nicolas Cage is actually a member of the Coppola family — largely because he doesn’t share the surname. In reality, his true name is Nicolas Kim Coppola, he just took on Cage as a stage name to separate his acting career from the family and avoid the appearance of nepotism. Cage is the son of August Coppola, a literature professor and nephew to Talia Shire and Francis. His career broke out back in the early 1980s when he was still a teenager, first having small roles in movies before getting larger parts in his uncle’s films like Rumble Fish and The Cotton Club. Cage’s big breakout year was 1987, where he starred in the Coen Brothers’ Raising Arizona and Academy Award-winning film Moonstruck. Cage has gained a hefty filmography over the past four decades, becoming one of the most notable actors in modern Hollywood. His other significant movies include National Treasure, Leaving Las Vegas, Face/Off, Con Air, and Ghost Rider, with his most recent critically acclaimed role being in the 2021 drama Pig.
Talia Shire
The younger sister of Francis Ford Coppola, Talia Shire’s (neé Coppola) career began to take off right after her brother’s thanks to her main role in all three The Godfather films as Connie Corleone. Four years after the first Godfather, Shire joined another classic movie franchise as Adrian Balboa in Rocky (1976). She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in The Godfather Part II and a nomination for Best Actress in Rocky. Shire also later reprised her role in four of the five sequels to Rocky before the Creed spinoffs. In continuing the family dynasty, Shire is also the mother to two other notable Coppola descendants.
Sofia Coppola
Sofia Coppola is notably the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, who had one of the early nepotism accusations when she was controversially cast as Mary Corleone in The Godfather Part III. Although The Godfather 3 itself wasn’t that well-received, the person who got the brunt of the criticism was Coppola, where many critics and viewers found fault with her acting. Only 19 years old at the time, Coppola wasn’t too shaken up about it because she said she never really wanted to be an actress anyway. Coppola has proven herself to be a talented filmmaker and screenwriter: Her directorial debut was The Virgin Suicides, based on a novel of the same name. Sofia Coppola then won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for Best Director for Lost in Translation, which starred Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. Since then, Coppola has become one of Hollywood’s most accomplished female directors, being one of few to win awards like the Golden Lion and Best Director at film festivals. Coppola’s other notable features include Marie Antionette, The Bling Ring, and The Beguiled.
Jason Schwartzman
Another actor who people are surprised to discover is a Coppola, actor Jason Schwartzman is the son of Talia Shire. Schwartzman is most notable for his multiple collaborations with director Wes Anderson, including films like Rushmore, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Darjeeling Limited, Moonrise Kingdom, and the upcoming movie The French Dispatch. Schwartzman has also collaborated with his family members, including acting with his mother on I Heart Huckabees and starring in his cousin Sofia’s Marie Antionette and A Very Murray Christmas. Picking up some of the musical talent from his grandfather, Schwartzman is also an accomplished musician, having composed songs for multiple TV shows and even producing a few of his own albums.
Robert Schwartzman
Although not as active in Hollywood as his older brother, Robert Schwartzman is an accomplished actor and musician who is the son of Talia Shire and brother of Jason Schwartzman. Schwartzman got his start by acting in a few of Sofia Coppola’s projects, including The Virgin Suicides and Lick the Star. His most notable role is Michael Moscovitz in Disney’s The Princess Diaries, serving as the love interest to Anne Hathaway’s character. He’s also directed the films Dreamland, The Unicorn, and The Argument in recent years. Outside of acting, Schwartzman is most notable for being the lead vocalist in the rock/pop band Rooney.
Roman Coppola
Preferring to work as a behind-the-scenes Hollywood family member, Roman Coppola is the son of Francis and older brother to Sofia. Like the rest of his family, Roman is no stranger to helping out his cousins, siblings, and nieces and nephews with their projects as he serves as the president of his father’s production company American Zoetrope. Before getting into his roles as producer, director, and writer, Coppola, like his siblings, was placed in small roles in many of Francis Ford Coppola's early films like The Godfather. He’s produced several of Sofia’s films including The Bling Ring, The Beguiled, and Somewhere, as well as serving as second unit director for The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antionette. Just like his nephew Jason, Coppola also notably collaborates with Wes Anderson, having co-written Moonrise Kingdom, Isle of Dogs, and the French Dispatch, while being second unit director for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited. Aside from movies, Coppola has produced plenty of notable music videos for artists like Mariah Carey, Green Day, and Paul McCartney.
Carmine Coppola
The patriarch of the family, Carmine Coppola (1910-1991) was the father to Francis, Talia, and August. While Francis built up the notoriety of the family and their connections in Hollywood, Carmine was already an accomplished musician as he worked as an orchestra conductor on Broadway. Once Francis Ford Coppola got into filmmaking, he recruited Carmine to score the latter two Godfather films, Apocalypse Now, and The Black Stallion. For The Godfather Part II, Carmine won the Academy Award for Best Original Score, while being nominated for The Godfather Part III.
Marc Coppola
Marc Coppola decided to keep his notable last name in the business unlike his brother Nicolas Cage. Although not known for his acting roles, Coppola has still been featured in many minor roles in his family’s productions like Apocalypse Now, The Cotton Club, Sonny, and The Bling Ring. Marc is best recognized for his DJ career, where he’s worked for KGB-FM in San Diego and WAXQ and WLTW in New York City.