Francis Ford Coppola made one of the greatest crime films ever when he adapted Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. The Marlon Brando-starrer saw the veteran win his second Oscar for Best Actor and was a breakthrough for Al Pacino. Coppola then followed it up with The Godfather – Part II, which became the first sequel to win Best Picture.
The sequel saw Robert De Niro play the role of a younger Vito Corleone (played by Brando in the original). De Niro won the Oscar for Best Supporting Role for the film and had a breakthrough with the film. While he did a phenomenal job as Corleone, he reportedly auditioned way back for the first part and was up for the role of Sonny Corleone.
Robert De Niro Originally Auditioned For Sonny Corleone In The Godfather
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather has one of the most interesting behind-the-scenes stories. Based on Mario Puzo’s acclaimed novel, the crime drama had a tumultuous production due to Coppola’s frequent feuds with the studio for various creative decisions. The film is often considered to be one of the greatest films ever made.
After the success of the first film, Coppola returned for The Godfather – Part II, which expanded on Vito Corleone’s past while also exploring Michael’s status as the Godfather. Robert De Niro played the role of a young Vito in the flashback sequences, which received universal acclaim. He even won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the role.
However, De Niro would never have gotten his big break if it weren’t for a series of events. The Taxi Driver star had reportedly originally auditioned for Sonny Corleone in The Godfather (via Alucine). However, he did not get the role but was instead chosen to play Pauli Gatto, who would go on to betray the Corleone family in the film.
Coppola at the time was reportedly campaigning for Al Pacino to get the role of Michael Corleone but was fighting the studio, who wanted someone more popular. Though they were finally convinced, Pacino was reportedly contracted to appear in The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight. The studio then reportedly traded in De Niro for Pacino (via Fandom).
The Godfather Fans Prefer James Caan’s Sonny Corleone Over Robert De Niro
Among many reasons, The Godfather is a certified classic due to its perfect casting. While many options were considered, with actors such as Dustin Hoffman, Martin Sheen, and Jack Nicholson being possible choices, the cast that the film ended up with was absolutely perfect. One of the most memorable characters is that of Sonny Corleone, played by James Caan.
The legendary actor played the role of Vito Corleone’s hotheaded elder son to perfection. The portrayal has cemented itself in the legacy of the film and Caan even received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for the role. Though Robert De Niro first auditioned for the role and Caan himself read for Michael Corleone, fans agree that no one else could have pulled it off.
Caan’s portrayal was reportedly so loved and realistic that he claimed to author Mark Seal that people would try to provoke Sonny-esque responses from him when they met him in public. He reportedly also joked that he won Italian of the Year twice when he was not even Italian (via The Mob Museum).
The Godfather – Part II is streaming on Showtime.
