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Francis Ford Coppola addresses state of health after hospitalization in Italy


The auteur responsible for The Godfather franchise and Megalopolis shared a message via family


Legendary movie director Francis Ford Coppola attends the Magna Graecia Film Festival at Supercinema with the talk "How To Change Our Future"© Getty Images
Ahad Sanwari
Ahad SanwariSenior Writer - New York
August 7, 2025
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Francis Ford Coppola is speaking out after it had been reported he was admitted to a hospital in Rome for a cardiac procedure.

The filmmaker, 86, took to his social media page with a photo of himself from the Megalopolis photocall at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024 and assured his followers he was okay.

"Da Dada (what my kids call me) is fine, taking an opportunity while in Rome to do the update of my 30 year old afib procedure with its inventor, a great Italian doctor – Dr. Andrea Natale!" he penned, making a nod to his two kids Roman and Sofia Coppola, plus their families. 

US director Francis Ford Coppola poses during a photocall for the film "Megalopolis" at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2024.© Getty Images
Francis Ford Coppola shared a statement confirming he was doing okay

"I am well!" he concluded. A representative of his also confirmed to Italian media reports, per NBC News: "Mr. Coppola went in for a scheduled update procedure and is resting nicely. All is well."

Sofia responded to her father's statement with a heart emoji, with Sharon Stone also commenting: "We love you honey," and Andy Garcia sharing a string of praying emojis. Kathrine Narducci also wrote: "God bless you and your family. You are an American treasure, we love you."

The director has continued to remain active well into his 80s, even sharing another social media post soon after confirming his surgery went well, a previous interview with the Daily Stoic podcast.

Francis Ford Coppola speaks at the "Megalopolis" New York Screening at The Capitol Theatre on July 23, 2025 in Port Chester, New York© Getty Images
His last public appearance was a screening of "Megalopolis" in New York City on July 23

He reflected during his conversation on the death of his wife Eleanor Coppola last April at the age of 87. The pair were married for over 60 years and were an integral part of the Coppola film machine, with Eleanor acting as a documentarian and photographer behind the scenes of his projects while also caring for their family while in production.

"I just lost my wife of 60 years and it's sort of devastating, but there was a Marcus Aurelius quote that really lifted me," the auteur recalled. "Which was that if you lose a loved one, honor her. In a sense, try to be more like her and then she'll live on in your actions." 

Director Francis Ford Coppola with his father Carmine pose backstage with his Oscar after winning  "Best Director" and "Best Picture" award during the 47th Academy Awards at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles,California.© Getty Images
The Oscar-winning filmmaker continues to actively work and promote his movies

"My wife was very good – if someone was alone or sick or something, she'd call them up and be comforting to them," he gushed. "And I'm not like that, you know? So I started to do that." 

"People that I know, some guys my age who have no grandchildren, I call them up and say, Hey, how are you? And they are so pleased and so kind. And that's how I keep my wife in my life."

Director Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola attend the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California.© Getty Images
The director lost his wife of 60 years Eleanor in April 2024

He similarly shared the same quote with Rolling Stone in a conversation soon after her passing, and opened up about her health in the months leading up to her death.

"She had a noncancerous tumor called a thymoma," the Apocalypse Now filmmaker shared. "Fourteen years ago, when it was discovered, the doctor said, 'It's a little big to take out right now. If she does three months of chemo, then it should make it smaller and I can take it out.'" 

Francis Ford Coppola (L) and his wife Eleanor Coppola arrives at the "The Godfather" 50th Anniversary Celebration at Paramount Theatre on February 22, 2022 in Los Angeles, California© Getty Images
"My wife was very good – if someone was alone or sick or something, she'd call them up and be comforting to them."

"And Eleanor said, 'I'm not doing chemo.' She wanted to do what she wanted to do; she made several movies, and ultimately, it just got so big and so painful that she did not want to live anymore."

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