How Lana Del Rey Found Inspiration in Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides

From the earliest days of Lana Del Rey ’s rise to fame, fans have noticed striking similarities between the themes in her music and the cinematic worlds crafted by certain filmmakers. The sense of melancholy, allure, obsession, and the complexities of girlhood that run through her songs seem to mirror the atmosphere of specific movies. Thanks to platforms like Tumblr and YouTube, a kind of unofficial film playlist emerged for Del Rey’s audience, featuring titles like American Beauty, The Love Witch, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and even the controversial Lolita. But above all, one director ’s work stands out as especially intertwined with Del Rey’s artistic identity: Sofia Coppola.

Spend any time in online communities that celebrate Coppola’s movies, and you’ll quickly find a strong overlap with Del Rey’s fanbase. The connection between the two artists is easy to understand. Both have explored the emotional turbulence of adolescence and the struggles of young women, focusing on the confusion and heartbreak that come with growing up and searching for one’s place in the world. Their work often highlights the innocence and vulnerability of youth, mixed with a sense of instability and longing.

Parallel Worlds: Music and Film Collide

Del Rey’s early tracks, written under her original name Lizzy Grant, carry a rawness and sensitivity that align closely with the characters in Coppola’s films. Songs like ‘Put Me in a Movie, ’ ‘Jump,’ and ‘Afraid’ evoke the same blend of fragility and sensuality found in figures like Marie Antoinette, Priscilla Presley, and Lux Lisbon. It ’s easy to imagine these characters listening to Del Rey’s music, if only they had the chance.

Lux Lisbon, one of the sisters in The Virgin Suicides, spends her final months rebelling against strict parents, seeking freedom in ways that ultimately leave her feeling more isolated. The image of her waking up alone on a football field after a night with Trip Fontaine captures a deep sadness—a longing for fulfillment that only leads to emptiness. This emotional undercurrent is echoed in many of Del Rey’s songs, especially those from her Ultraviolence album.

The Unmade Collaboration

It’s no wonder that Del Rey feels such a strong connection to Coppola’s work. The two almost collaborated when Coppola invited Del Rey to write songs for her biopic Priscilla, a project that would have brought together two creative forces with a shared fascination for iconic women and their struggles. Unfortunately, tight deadlines kept the partnership from happening, leaving fans to imagine what could have been.

Still, the influence remains clear. Del Rey’s track ‘This Is What Makes Us Girls’ feels like it could have been written for a Coppola film, capturing the spirit of rebellion and heartbreak that defines so many of the director’s characters. As Del Rey herself once said,

“I think of my songs as if they were films. Flashbacks, cuts, memories, with a monologue that’s running.”

The Virgin Suicides: A Lasting Impact

According to Vogue Italia, Del Rey’s favorite Coppola film is The Virgin Suicides, the director’s 1999 debut. The movie’s dreamy visuals and soft color palette contrast sharply with its dark subject matter, as the Lisbon sisters’ tragic story unfolds. The film’s exploration of innocence lost and the pain of growing up resonates deeply with Del Rey’s own artistic vision, making it a natural source of inspiration for her music and imagery.