17 Directors who cast their family members in their own movies

Modified Jan 20, 2025 07:39 ET

BAM Hosts Barbie Screening and Q & A With Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, and Tony Kushner - Source: Getty

1. Francis Ford Coppola

47th Kennedy Center Honors - Source: Getty

Francis Ford Coppola famously cast his daughter Sofia Coppola in The Godfather Part III as Mary Corleone after Winona Ryder dropped out. Though her performance viciously panned, Sofia would later prove herself to be a creative genius when she became an Oscar-winning filmmaker for Lost in Translation. The backlash notwithstanding, Coppola had his daughter's back, extolling her bravery in accepting the role at the last minute. Interestingly, Sofia had already played a baby in The Godfather baptism scene, making her association with the series so personal.