Gian-Carlo Coppola Gian-Carlo Coppola Gian-Carlo Coppola (September 17, 1963 – May 26, 1986) was an American film producer. Coppola was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of set decorator/artist Eleanor Coppola (née Neil) and famed film director Francis Ford Coppola. As the eldest Coppola sibling, he was the older brother to Roman and Sofia. Gian-Carlo was close friends and once a couple with Tracy Reiner, daughter of director Penny Marshall. Gian-Carlo began his professional filmmaking career at the age of 16, working closely with his father. Like his brother and sister, Gian-Carlo—known to his family and friends as Gio—often featured in
Roman Coppola director Francis Ford Coppola. He was born in the American Hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine, while his father was in Paris helping write the screenplay of "Is Paris Burning?" As a boy, he had minor, uncredited roles in both "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II". He attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Coppola began his directing career by overseeing in-camera visual effects and second unit direction for "Bram Stoker’s Dracula", which garnered a BAFTA Award nomination for Visual Effects. He has continued to do second unit direction throughout his career, including Francis Ford Coppola's "Jack", "The Rainmaker", "Youth