Who is Romy Mars, the pop star from the Coppola dynasty?

After Deva Cassel, Apple Martin, and North West, another daughter of celebrity parents is stepping into the world of showbiz. This time it’s Romy Mars, the seventeen-year-old daughter of Sofia Coppola and Thomas Mars, the frontman of Phoenix, who made her official red carpet debut at the Cannes Film Festival and released her first EP within a few days. The latest Coppola to capture the spotlight, the Franco-American girl comes from a dynasty of artists, including Francis Ford Coppola, Talia Shire, Nicolas Cage, Gia Coppola, and Jason Schwartzman. She must prove she has inherited the family talent and is not just a nepo baby.

Romy, little nepo babies grow up

Romy and her younger sister Cosima grew up between Paris and New York, away from the prying eyes of paparazzi and onlookers, with their parents forbidding them from having public social media profiles to avoid being labeled as nepo babies. The only exceptions? A few candid shots while out with their parents and the Heaven by Marc Jacobs campaign in 2020, in which Romy, just thirteen, wore hoodies and T-shirts from the collection. The turning point came last year with a viral video on TikTok in which she attempted to make vodka pasta.

The viral TikTok video

"Make a vodka sauce pasta with me because I’m grounded." These are the words the teenager used to vent on social media. No passion for culinary arts; in fact, the then-sixteen-year-old candidly confessed that she didn’t know the difference between garlic and onion and had to look it up on Google. Romy took to cooking to pass the time while stuck at home. She explained the reason herself: "I was grounded for trying to charter a helicopter from New York to Maryland with my dad’s credit card because I wanted to have dinner with my camp friend". While chopping and stirring, she showed us a bit of her surroundings, including her father's Grammy Award, a dog, and Ari, her babysitter's boyfriend. Romy took a jab at her parents, calling Ari and the babysitter her "substitute parents" because "my parents are never home". Sofia Coppola's reaction? In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, the director said: "We were raised to be very protective, and social networks are the opposite of the way I grew up. This was the best way for her to rebel. [...] I received many compliments on her presence. Her sense of comedy. It's funny. But for my parental authority to be discussed publicly is not in the realm of things I want."

On the Cannes 2024 red carpet

After removing the TikTok video, a few months later Romy followed her mother to the front row of several fashion shows and events during fashion week, including Anna Sui's SS24 show. Her official debut was at the Cannes Film Festival. The seventeen-year-old accompanied part of the family, especially her grandfather Francis Ford Coppola, to the premiere of Megalopolis. Together, they walked the red carpet and posed for photographers. For the occasion, Romy wore an all-black Chanel outfit: from the strapless dress to the earrings with the brand’s logo, to the strap-back pumps and the mini quilted bag with the classic gold chain. She also wore a black and white tweed mini dress by Chanel earlier in the day during the photocall with her grandfather Francis, her sister Cosima, great-aunt Talia Shire, and uncle Roman Coppola.

Romy Mars' first EP

On May 22, Romy released two songs written and performed by her on Spotify, following in her father Thomas' musical footsteps. The sound, described as "confessional pop," is reminiscent of Olivia Rodrigo and Phoebe Bridgers. In Stuck Up, Romy tells the story of a summer fling gone wrong, singing "I'm sitting on the edge of the pool / Until now summer's been so cruel," while From a Distance is a "a whimsical bop with bedroom pop undertones." According to Nylon, the tracks, produced by psychedelic pop artist Claud and Mikey Hart, who often collaborates with Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff, are "the song of the summer." Romy Mars, however, suggests interpreting them almost like mini-movies.

Not just music, Romy Mars' future projects 

Romy has just entered the world of showbiz, but we will hear a lot more about her because Sofia Coppola's daughter wants to showcase her many talents. Not only for music, which she has been dedicated to since she started writing songs at 12. In an interview with W magazine, the seventeen-year-old hinted at her next project: a role in a still top-secret TV show. "I can only say it's a comedy," she said. "And I also enjoyed auditioning. It's nice to play someone who isn't you." We look forward to seeing how she fares and if she will be a worthy member of the Coppola clan.