Actress Lauren Pagone has recently come forward to identify herself as the woman who was allegedly hugged and kissed by director Francis Ford Coppola on the set of his forthcoming film, "Megalopolis." Pagone shared her experience with Variety magazine, stating that she was in shock and caught off guard by Coppola's actions.

According to Pagone, she was dancing in the middle of a live take of a nightclub scene when Coppola approached her and pulled her towards him, hugging and kissing her. Pagone, who appears in multiple scenes as an extra, expressed her frustration with another extra, Rayna Menz, who had defended Coppola on Instagram, claiming that none of the claims against him were true. Pagone objected to Menz speaking on her behalf and emphasized that each person's experience was different.

Adding to Pagone's allegations, an unnamed cast member of "Megalopolis" told Variety that Coppola had kissed multiple women during the nightclub scene without their consent. The cast member described how the women were taken by surprise and initially laughed it off, but later revealed feeling uncomfortable. They also stated that their entire experience on the set was weird and uncomfortable.

This comes after previous reports of Coppola's inappropriate behavior on the film's set. Anonymous crew members told The Guardian that Coppola had acted inappropriately and used "old school" tactics to "get them in the mood" for the nightclub scene. The crew members claimed that Coppola ruined takes by touching the actresses in frame and made derogatory comments over the microphone.

Coppola denied disrespecting women in an interview with The New York Times, while his executive co-producer, Darren Demetre, stated that he was never aware of any harassment complaints during production. First assistant director Mariela Comitini also defended Coppola, describing him as a professional and creating a positive environment on set.

As these allegations continue to unfold, IndieWire has reached out to Coppola's representatives for comment. The controversy surrounding "Megalopolis" raises important questions about consent and professional conduct on film sets, sparking a larger discussion within the industry.