The Godfather without Al Pacino does not feel right at all, and it’s truly impossible to imagine another actor playing Michael Corleone. Fans have got Diane Keaton to thank because her chemistry with the actor landed him the job.
But that’s not to discredit Pacino; the actor is a winner of Academy, Emmy, Golden Globes, and Tony awards. He could have gotten the part without breaking a sweat, but for some reason, the studio did not like him.
Diane Keaton On Helping Al Pacino Land His The Godfather Role
Speaking with ET Online, actress Diane Keaton recalled how she got the role of Kay Adams-Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. She admitted being clueless about the story and even more shocked that she won the part.
“I auditioned for The Godfather having never read it, and I knew nothing about it, and just was there, I was standing there like every other woman. I didn’t know what the hell I was there for. And they cast me in that role!”
She revealed that the studio did not like Al Pacino to join the project. It baffled her that she was chosen to get on board while a veteran actor like Pacino was rejected.
“Nobody wanted Al Pacino. They didn’t want him to play that part, and I had already been cast. I had been cast before Al Pacino in Godfather 1! Is this not weird?”
Coppola wanted to work with Pacino, and despite Paramount being sour about it, they still gave him a shot and allowed him to screen-test with Keaton.
“So I was standing there, and they brought him up when I was standing there and we worked together in front of [the producers], and they gave him the job. Do you believe that? After he had auditioned before, and they didn’t want him.”
Keaton is still in disbelief after all those years, quipping, “What would The Godfather have been without Al Pacino?” She’s absolutely right.
Francis Ford Coppola Wanted Al Pacino And No One Else
Francis Ford Coppola shared in an interview via New York Times that he always pictured Al Pacino in mind when he read Mario Puzo’s novel.
“When I actually read the ‘Godfather’ book, I kept imagining him, and I didn’t have a second choice. It was, for me, always Al Pacino. That’s the reason why I was so tenacious about getting him to play Michael. That was my problem.”
Pacino revealed that Paramount rejected Coppola’s entire cast, including Marlon Brando, James Caan, and Robert Duvall. He claimed there was a conflict. Still, the director fought to have Pacino.
“For whatever reason, he wanted me and I knew that. You could feel that. And there’s nothing like that, when a director wants you. It’s the best thing an actor could have, really.”
It’s definitely the best feeling in the world as a professional actor; to have a veteran filmmaker support and believe in one’s capability already proves the caliber of one’s talent.
The Godfather is available to watch on Netflix.
