Eleanor Coppola, who documented the making of some of her husband's iconic films, including the tortuous production of 'Apocalypse Now,' died Friday at her home in Rutherford, California, her family announced in a statement. She met Francis while working as an assistant art director on his directorial debut, the 1963 horror film Dementia 13.
She studied design at UCLA and the couple married in Las Vegas in February 1963. His first son, Gian-Carlo, quickly became a regular presence in his father's films, as did his next children, Roman (born 1965) and Sofia (born 1971). After acting in his dad's films and growing up on stage, they all dedicated themselves to cinema. “I don't know what the family has given, except that I hope they have set an example of a family that encourages each other in their creative process whatever it may be,” Eleanor told The Associated Press in 2017. She was 87 years old.