Sofia Coppola says she knows a project is worth making when it scares her

Sofia Coppola says she still feels nervous whenever she begins a new movie, but considers that fear part of what makes the work meaningful.

During an appearance on the “Happy Hour with Ina Garten” podcast on Wednesday, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker said she has “no idea” how a new movie will come together when she first starts working on it.

“It’s always scary — and someone told me it’s not worthwhile unless it’s scary, because you’re invested in it,” Coppola told host Ina Garten.

“It’s a thrill,” Coppola added.

Garten said she, too, sees discomfort as a sign a project is worth taking on: “If it doesn’t keep me up at night, I don’t want to do it.”

Coppola said she sees no point in doing something that doesn’t challenge her, even if starting a new film can leave her feeling like she has to find her footing all over again.

The uncertainty never really goes away, she said: “You’re always like, ‘What if it’s a disaster?'”

However, once production begins, Coppola said she becomes absorbed in bringing her vision to life with the crew.

“But then I’m so fixated on what I have in my mind and seeing that come together, the fun of making it and getting together with the crew to make it,” she said. “It’s so collaborative.”

Coppola also said she avoids reading bad reviews, though she recently came across a box of negative reviews of her 2006 film “Marie Antoinette.”

“It’s so fun that it survived and found a new audience that likes it,” she said.

Coppola has previously spoken about dealing with self-doubt.

In a March NPR interview about her documentary on fashion designer Marc Jacobs, Coppola said she could relate to his worries as he prepared for a runway show because she was “going through the same exact thing” while making the film.

However, she said having some self-doubt can be useful: “I don’t trust anyone that doesn’t have a little self-doubt. I think you need a little to keep you on your toes.”

Other high-profile figures have similarly said they see uncertainty as an opportunity to grow.

In January 2024, Barbara Corcoran said that feeling like an impostor had fueled her success, since it pushed her to work harder and, in the process, build confidence.

“My success is entirely due to my insecurity,” she said.

In October 2024, Anna Kendrick said she felt similarly out of her depth when she pitched to direct Netflix’s true-crime film “Woman of the Hour.” After her first pitch, the producers asked her to try again the next day with more confidence.

“They knew that I was faking it. They have told me to fake it, and they still were like, ‘Well, that lady seems like a leader. Let’s hire her,'” Kendrick said.