The Al Pacino and Marlon Brando starrer The Godfather is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. The film continues to remain in conversation for several reasons, even decades after its release. Francis Ford Coppola not only gave one of the greatest gangster franchises of all time but also brought stars like Pacino to the limelight, who has continued to grace the silver screen.
Soon after his feature film debut in the 1969 film Me, Natalie, The Irishman star caught the attention of Coppola and landed one of the prominent roles alongside Brando in The Godfather. The actor later shared that he ended up embarrassing himself while working with the Oscar-winning actor on the 1972 film.
Al Pacino Had Several Embarrassing Interactions With Marlon Brando
Francis Ford Coppola faced several challenges while working on one of the greatest movies of all time, The Godfather. The studio executives took issues with his casting decisions and other choices. They opposed the casting of Al Pacino and Marlon Brando as Michael Corleone and Vito Corleone, respectively.
However, the filmmaker was adamant about casting them in the movie, and ultimately, the studio had to follow up with his plan. While Brando was already an established actor in the industry, Pacino was making his way into the limelight.
And the actor has shared that he ended up embarrassing himself in front of The Chase star, as his “face would turn red,” and he would end up laughing every time he ran into Brando on the set. “Have you any idea what it was like to do a scene with Brando?” he said, as per IMDb.
The Oscar winner further explained that it was hard for him to contain himself while filming with the Hollywood star he grew up watching in movies like A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and Viva Zapata! (1952). “Now I’m playing a scene with him. He’s God, man!” the actor said, as per IMDb.
Al Pacino Was Confident to Land His The Godfather Role
Al Pacino was new to the industry when Francis Ford Coppola cast him as Michael Corleone in The Godfather. It was also the reason the studio executives did not want him to portray the character, as they wished to see a notable actor at the time as Vito Corleone’s youngest son.
However, Coppola had already found the perfect actor for the role in Pacino. During an interview with The New York Times, the 83-year-old actor shared that he met Coppola after the filmmaker saw him in a play on Broadway. And while the studio rejected his casting in the movie, the actor seemed confident to land the role. He said,
“Because great actors were auditioning for this thing. But here’s the secret: For whatever reason, [Francis Ford Coppola] wanted me and I knew that.”
The Serpico star shared that it’s the best feeling for an actor to know that a filmmaker has made up their mind about casting them in a role. He reprised his role in the two sequels of the movie and landed multiple Oscar nominations for his work in the film series.
The Godfather film series is available on Paramount+.
Source: IMDb
