whitney Cummings Recalls ‘Humiliating’ Audition for Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis‘
Comedian Whitney Cummings recently opened up about a bizarre and uncomfortable audition experience she had for Francis Ford Coppola’s epic sci-fi film, Megalopolis. Describing it as ”core trauma,” Cummings detailed the unconventional process and her overall feeling of being harshly judged by the legendary director.
Cummings shared the story on her podcast, Good For You, explaining that after days of preparing and memorizing lines, she arrived at the audition to find an unusually silent atmosphere. The absence of typical audition small talk set a strange tone from the start.
“Everyone is so quiet. There’s no vibe of, ‘We’re at an audition. hey, what’s up? Hi, how are you? Nice to meet you,’” she recalled. ”It’s just so awkward.”
Cummings was further surprised when Coppola informed her they wouldn’t be performing the prepared scene. Rather, he opted for an improvisational approach, throwing unexpected scenarios and accents her way. “He would just throw things at me,” she explained.
She recounted being asked to bid farewell to her son going off to war using an English accent and later to confront her husband using an Australian accent. Feeling like she was being pranked, cummings admitted, “Because I did the show Punk’d, I was like, if I’m being punked, this is actually genius.”
The comedian confessed to feeling increasingly disassociated during the process. “I started glazing over, and then he was, like, ‘That was great.’ I don’t know where I went. I just completely disassociated.”
Cummings expressed her bewilderment at Coppola’s insistence on improvisation, stating, “Why am I acting with him? He’s, like, ‘It’s going to be me and we’re going to improvise the scene.’ I’m, like, ‘But you don’t [improvise].’ Has anyone ever told you the truth as Apocalypse Now? Right? Has anyone told you the truth? No.”
Concluding the audition, Cummings felt deeply embarrassed.Coppola gifted her a signed copy of his book and a bottle of Francis Ford Coppola wine, adding to the surreal and somewhat humiliating experience.
Released in December 2023, Megalopolis, featuring a star-studded cast that includes Adam Driver, Giancarlo esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Aubrey Plaza, faced scrutiny at the box office, grossing over $13 million worldwide against an estimated budget of $120 million.
To hear Cummings’ full account of her unforgettable audition, watch the clip from her podcast below.
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## Pineapple Pizza and Improv: A conversation with Whitney Cummins
**Archyde:** You recently shared a very… unique story about your “Megalopolis’” audition with Francis Ford coppola on your podcast, “Good For You.” Too be honest, listening to it was like witnessing comedic gold tinged with mild trauma.
**Whitney Cummings:** Haha, yeah, “core trauma” is maybe a *tiny* bit dramatic, but it was definitely unlike any audition I’ve ever experienced.
**Archyde:** Let’s start with the atmosphere. You described the room as eerily silent,devoid of the usual pre-audition chatter.
**Whitney Cummings:** It felt like everyone was told to shut up and bear witness to the Coppola. It was so weird, and it immediately set a tone of unease.
**Archyde:** And then Coppola ditched the prepared scenes and went right for the improv. That’s where it got truly wild, wasn’t it?
**Whitney Cummings:** Wild is an understatement! He threw me into scenarios with bizarre accents – a tearful goodbye to my son going off to war in a British accent, then confronting my Aussie husband. I nearly checked to see if Ashton Kutcher was hiding behind a curtain! I was convinced I was being punked.
**Archyde:** Did you feel like he was truly assessing your improvisational ability, or was there something else going on?
**Whitney Cummings:** Honestly, I’m still trying to figure that out. Maybe it was his way of seeing how I reacted under pressure? Or perhaps it was just Francis Coppola’s version of a bizarre interview ritual.
**Archyde:** You mentioned feeling disassociated during the process. Was it tough to bounce back from that kind of sensory overload?
**Whitney Cummings:** Absolutely. You know that feeling when you’re so overwhelmed you sort of check out mentally? That’s where I went. it was more like I was observing a bizarre sociological experiment on myself rather than actually auditioning.
**Archyde:** And the icing on this surreal cake? A signed book and Coppola wine.
**Whitney Cummings:** I’m not even sure what was more bewildering: the audition itself or the parting gifts. It was almost like a perverse “thank you for playing.”
**Archyde:** So, would you say this traumatizing experience has put you off improv?
**Whitney Cummings:** Nah, the opposite actually. This whole thing has reinforced my absolute respect for good improv, especially those who can make it look effortless. After the Coppola Incident, I think I’ll stick to my stand-up domain.
