Sofia Coppola never wanted to be a filmmaker.

Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola

The 46-year-old director - who is the daughter of the Hollywood legend Francis Ford Coppola - never intended to follow in her father's footsteps and had other passions in life before she turned to cinema, including design, photography and music.

Coppola - who has made a number of acclaimed films, including her first ever movie 'The Virgin Suicides' - told the Guardian newspaper said: "I never thought I would be a filmmaker. It wasn't something I ever planned, despite the fact I loved hanging around on sets.

"That's how I learned to do it. At a young age, I was really into fashion and clothes although I felt frustrated at art school.

"I had so many interests - design, photography, music - but I just couldn't find one medium that really clicked for me.

"Then I made a short film, 'Lick the Star' in 1998, and it brought together the things I loved."

Coppola grew up around her Academy Award-winning father and would often seek advice from 'The Godfather' director.

Despite this, he would rarely would visit her film sets.

Coppola said: "We have a family film company, American Zoetrope, so I really had my dad's support.

"He encourage me, really talked to me. He always said the most important thing about a movie is the acting and the writing.

"Although he wasn't there on set very much, he mentored me. When he did visit, he was kind of nervous.

"He would tell me to shout 'Action!' louder so they knew I was in charge. I would say 'but dad, this is how I do it."