Director Sofia Coppola, known for her Oscar-winning films, is also a mother to two daughters, Romy and Cosima Mars. She shares her children with her husband Thomas Mars, lead singer of the French band Phoenix. The couple met during the production of Coppola’s film The Virgin Suicides, when Mars contributed to the soundtrack. They married in 2011 and raised their daughters primarily in New York’s West Village, with summers spent in Paris where Mars’s band is based. Despite their international lifestyle, Coppola describes her daughters as “total New York kids.”
Though coming from a family rich with talent—featuring relatives like Francis Ford Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Nicolas Cage—Sofia Coppola and Thomas Mars prioritized a normal childhood for Romy and Cosima. Coppola explained,
I don’t want them ever to be jaded,
and further emphasized,
I never saw the point of taking little kids to movie premieres and stuff. I just want them to have a childhood.
Romy Mars: From Early Years to Emerging Artist
Romy Mars, the couple’s first daughter, was born on November 28, 2006, in Paris. Choosing a name was a challenge, as Coppola shared,
We’re going to wait and see,
and added,
When you’re writing, you pick names for characters, but it’s harder in real life.
Eventually, the name Romy was selected as a tribute to her uncle Roman Coppola. Following the family’s creative tradition, Romy has developed interests in music and acting. Sofia noted,
It’s exciting to see all the different things you can do.
Romy has appeared on the TV show English Teacher, as well as in films like Megalopolis and On The Rocks.
Beyond acting, Romy has shown a growing affinity for fashion. Coppola has been a muse for designer Marc Jacobs, featuring in fragrance campaigns since the early 2000s. In 2020, at age 13, Romy followed in her mother’s footsteps by starring in one of Jacobs’s campaigns. Jacobs reflected on their connection, stating,
I met you Romy shortly after you were born,
and added,
It is a beautiful trip watching you grow up and becoming such a cool and beautiful young woman.
Romy made headlines in 2023 when a TikTok video went viral, where she recounted getting grounded after attempting to charter a helicopter using her father’s credit card to meet a camp friend. In the video, she said,
I thought I would do this since I’m already grounded because my parents’ biggest rule is I’m not allowed to have any public social media accounts…They don’t want me to be a nepotism kid.
In 2024, Romy embraced her musical talents, releasing original tracks such as From A Distance and Stuck Up. The following year, she unveiled a music video for her latest single, A-Lister. Though she attends events sparingly, Romy appeared at notable occasions including the 2024 premiere of Megalopolis at Cannes Film Festival alongside her grandfather Francis Ford Coppola, and the 2025 Chanel Haute Couture show during Paris Fashion Week with her mother and sister.
Romy expressed deep admiration for her mother on her 54th birthday with a post that read,
Seeing you care about teenage girls stories so much made me feel like I could put myself out into the world as an authentic teenage girl, not trying to be anything else.
Cosima Mars: A Private Yet Growing Presence
Cosima Mars, the younger daughter, was born on May 18, 2010, and shortly thereafter, the family relocated from Paris to New York City. The sisters quickly formed a close bond, as Coppola recounted to People,
The baby’s only 6 months old, but today I put her in the bed with Romy and they were looking at books—it was cute to see them together,
adding,
We just got Olivia Goes to Venice so we were reading that.
For Cosima’s 15th birthday, Romy posted a heartfelt message on Instagram:
BEST. FRIEND. AND. SISTER. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. You send me into hysterics every single day and fill my life with love and chuckles…This baddie rules my world.
While Cosima keeps a low profile compared to her sister, Sofia Coppola shared with Vanity Fair in 2023 that her youngest has yet to fully explore her mother’s filmography. Coppola stated,
I showed the younger one Marie Antoinette before we went to visit Versailles recently and she was like, ‘I liked it,’
but also acknowledged,
She admitted she liked it, but of course teenagers don’t want to like their mom’s stuff.
Cosima does make occasional public appearances, such as joining her mother and sister at the 2025 Paris Haute Couture week, where she stood out in a black lace gown at Le Bal d’Été.
Legacy and Future Prospects for the Coppola Mars Sisters
As children of two prominent figures—Sofia Coppola in film and Thomas Mars in music—Romy and Cosima Mars are beginning to carve out their own creative identities. Romy’s music releases and fashion engagements suggest an emerging multi-disciplinary career, while Cosima maintains privacy as she grows. Their parents’ approach to raising them with grounded values amid fame underscores a desire for authentic experiences rather than spotlight-seeking. With their family’s profound artistic background and early achievements, the sisters are positioned to influence culture in their own right as they mature.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Sofia Coppola a Nepo baby?
A. At first, people overlooked Sofia Coppola as the prime example of nepotism. However, she is now recognized as a consistently intriguing filmmaker of her era.
Q. Is Sofia Coppola a Nepo?
A. Although she is Francis Ford Coppola’s daughter and comes from a famous family, she has moved beyond the “nepo baby” label. She has created a unique style in film that is clearly hers.
Q. Why was Sofia Coppola criticized?
A. People said Coppola’s acting in the movie seemed stiff and not believable. Although worries about nepotism in movies are real, singling out Sofia Coppola was unfair. Many actors have also used family ties to get ahead in Hollywood for years.
