Coppola, Sofia (1971- )

US screenwriter, director, and producer. She came to international attention with her film Lost in Translation (2003), which earned her the 2004 Academy Award for best original screenplay; she also directed and produced the film. She also wrote and directed The Virgin Suicides (1999), based on the haunting novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, and the historical biopic Marie Antoinette (2006).

Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, was based on Coppola's own experiences when visiting Japan, and explores the friendship of two lonely, disaffected Americans at different crossroads of their lives who are drawn together during a visit to Tokyo.

Coppola, the daughter of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, made appearances in her father's films from a young age, including a baptism as an infant in The Godfather (1972) and bit parts in Rumble Fish and The Outsiders (both 1983). Later she pursued an education in fine arts, particularly fashion design, photography, and filmography.

She wrote the screenplay for a segment of the film New York Stories (1989) and appeared in her father's The Godfather, Part III (1990), although her performance was savaged by the critics. She turned increasingly to costume design and screenwriting, and wrote, directed, and produced the comedy short Lick the Star in 1998.

She was married to film director Spike Jonze (1999-2003).