Francis Ford Coppola, now 86 years old, was taken to a hospital in Rome on the morning of August 5, 2025, while attending events in Italy. He had originally traveled for a scheduled cardiac ablation at the Policlinico Tor Vergata, but doctors discovered atrial fibrillation—an irregular heartbeat—that prompted immediate hospitalization instead of proceeding directly with the procedure. Despite the unexpected turn, Coppola is resting comfortably under the care of his longtime cardiologist, Dr. Andrea Natale, and his team reports that he is in good spirits and appreciates the public’s support.
He had been in Italy to screen his self-funded epic film Megalopolis at the Magna Grecia Film Festival in Calabria, and was also scouting locations for a new project slated to begin filming in the fall. His arrival in Rome was notably discreet; according to reports, he was transported directly from the airport by ambulance to the hospital to avoid public appearances. Coppola’s strong ties to Italy run deep—his family originates from Bernalda in Basilicata, where he owns the Palazzo Margherita, a hotel he has developed in his ancestral hometown.
This medical episode came just days after a whirlwind promotional tour in the U.S., including appearances in Portland and San Francisco, where he spoke with emotional candor about mortality, his legacy, and the surprisingly mixed reception to Megalopolis. Though the film took decades to make and cost over $120 million to self-finance, it underperformed at the box office. Coppola, ever philosophical, insisted he wants to look back without regrets, asserting he’d lived fully.
While the hospital stay was unplanned, if no complications arise doctors expect his stay at Policlinico Tor Vergata to be brief. His ability to persevere through personal tragedy—his wife Eleanor passed away in April 2024—and creative ups and downs continues to inspire admiration. In true Coppola fashion, even a health concern has been met with quiet resolve and a focus on his next creative chapter.
