Michael Corleone in The Godfather was Al Pacino’s career-defining role. In his new book, he looks back at how he was able to sign up for an evergreen movie role.
The memoir is titled Sonny Boy, where the Oscar winner recalls the time Francis Ford Coppola called him for the offer.
Surprisingly, the Scarface star reveals that Paramount did not want him to be cast, but the director believed in him and fought for his case.
In the excerpt exclusively released to People, Pacino explains, “My relationship with the director who would change my life began oddly. Francis Ford Coppola had seen me on Broadway and wanted to meet with me about a role.”
He added, “So I flew to San Francisco, and for the next five days and nights, he took me to dinner, and we talked about his film project over bottles of wine. I thought Francis had been touched by genius. He was a leader, a doer, and a risk-taker.”
“Months went by, and then one day, I got a phone call. On the other end of the line was Francis Coppola,” the 84-year-old continued.
“First, he told me he was going to be directing The Godfather. I thought he might be fantasizing. I had read Mario Puzo’s novel, which had become a big hit; it was a huge deal for anyone to be involved with it.”
“Then Francis said he wanted me to play Michael Corleone. I started doubting whether he was on the phone at all. Maybe I was the one going through a nervous breakdown,” Pacino remembered his reaction.
“When I finally hung up the phone with Francis, I was kind of in a daze. Paramount didn’t want me to play Michael Corleone,” the Heat star revealed the stiff competition for the role.
“They wanted Jack Nicholson. They wanted Robert Redford. They wanted Warren Beatty or Ryan O’Neal. In the book, Puzo had Michael calling himself “the sissy of the Corleone family.”
He noted, “Paramount had already rejected Jimmy Caan and Bob Duvall. They rejected Brando, for Christ’s sake. It was quite clear that they didn’t want me either.”
However, Pacino said Francis fought for his case. “But here’s the secret: Francis wanted me, and I knew that. And there’s nothing like when a director wants you.”
When I knew I had the role, I called my grandmother to tell her. “You know I’m going to be in The Godfather? I’m going to play the part of Michael Corleone.” She said, “Oh, Sonny, listen! Granddad was born in Corleone. That’s where he’s from,” he shared
