Sofia Coppola And Florence Pughs TV Series Was Scrapped For A Truly Infuriating Reason

Sofia Coppola may have an Oscar and a number of widely acclaimed films to her credit but shes endured her share of creative disappointments along the way, too. 

In an interview with The New Yorker published Monday, the Lost in Translation and Priscilla director shared her frustration with not being able to move forward with her planned adaptation of Edith Whartons The Custom of the Country.

Apple just pulled out. They pulled our funding, she said. Its a real drag. I thought they had endless resources.

First published in 1913, The Custom of the Country follows Undine Spragg, a beautiful and ambitious Midwestern woman on a mission to charm her way into the social circles of New York Citys elite. Considered by many to be one of Whartons finest works , the book offers a satirical look at material wealth and gender roles in Gilded Age society. 

In 2020, it was announced that Coppola was working with Apple TV+ to adapt The Custom of the Country as a five-episode series, with Florence Pugh set to star as Undine. Its easy to see how the series would feel at home in the current landscape of prestige TV, with period dramas like Bridgerton and eat-the-rich satires like The White Lotus becoming critical and commercial hits. 

About a year later, however, Coppola says Apple TV+ pulled the plug because it didnt find the protagonist likable enough. 

They didnt get the character of Undine, she told The New Yorker. Shes so unlikable. But so is Tony Soprano! It was like a relationship that you know you probably shouldve gotten out of a while ago.

As for the series production budget, she said it would equal out to about five Marie Antoinettes, referring to her 2006 film starring Kirsten Dunst. That project was reportedly made for $40 million. 

HuffPost reached out to Apple TV+ representatives for comment on Coppolas claims, but did not immediately hear back. 

The directors comments, however, echo sentiments she previously expressed in an interview with The New York Times last fall. 

The idea of an unlikable woman wasnt their thing, she said at the time. But thats what Im saying about whos in charge.

Later, she added: The people in charge of giving money are usually straight men, still. Theres always people in lower levels who are like myself, but then the bosses have a certain sensibility ... If its so hard for me to get financing as an established person, I worry about younger women starting out. Its surprising that its still a struggle.