Al Pacino clears up a long-standing rumour in his new memoir, **Sonny Boy**, about his experience filming *The Godfather*. Although Pacino’s career is legendary, it was his role in Francis Ford Coppola’s *The Godfather* that truly cemented his status in Hollywood. The film, which became the highest-grossing movie of 1972, also earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor as Michael Corleone.
In *Sonny Boy*, Pacino reflects on his distinguished career and shares behind-the-scenes stories from some of cinema’s most iconic films. Discussing *The Godfather*, he reveals he was almost fired during production and addresses a persistent rumour about his supposed dissatisfaction with the Academy’s decision to nominate him for Best Supporting Actor instead of Best Actor alongside Marlon Brando.
Pacino writes about his surprise at discovering the perception that he had snubbed the Oscars. “I’ve only recently learned that the perception in the industry was that I snubbed the Oscars,” he notes, referring to rumours that he boycotted the event in protest of his nomination category. He explains, “That I didn’t attend the ceremony because I was nominated for *The Godfather* as a supporting actor and not as a leading man. That I somehow felt slighted because I thought I deserved to be nominated in the same category as Marlon.”
‘I don’t have a star’
On #BBCBreakfast actor Al Pacino on not being on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – and why he has Shrek as a phone cover https://t.co/Vpd8PXXoPQ pic.twitter.com/ERIiMdEy56
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) October 15, 2024
He continues, “Can you imagine that was a rumour that exploded at the time, and I only found out about it recently, all these years later? It explains a lot of the distance I felt when I came out to Hollywood to visit and to work. It was appalling to learn it now, having missed all these opportunities to deny it, not even knowing that this is what people thought of me.”
Pacino clarifies that his absence was due to fear, not protest. Despite not winning an Oscar for *The Godfather*, he eventually secured his first Academy Award for Best Actor in 1993 for *Scent of a Woman*.
He also shares that he and co-star Diane Keaton were convinced they were part of a disaster while filming *The Godfather’s* opening wedding scene. “[Diane] and I spent those first days laughing with each other, having to perform that opening wedding exposition scene from the screen test that we hated so much,” Pacino writes.
“Based on just that one scene, we were certain we were in the worst picture ever made, and when we’d finish shooting for the day, we would go back to Manhattan and get drunk. Our careers were over, we thought,” he adds. Who could have guessed that Al Pacino and Diane Keaton were so mistaken?
What Other Media Are Saying
- USA Today reports that Al Pacino wrote his memoir, ‘Sonny Boy,’ partly for his 1-year-old son, reflecting on life and career with a personal touch.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Did Al Pacino almost get fired from *The Godfather*?
Yes, Pacino reveals in his memoir that he was almost fired during the production of *The Godfather*.
Why did people think Al Pacino snubbed the Oscars?
There was a rumour that Pacino boycotted the Oscars because he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead of Best Actor.
Why did Al Pacino actually miss the Oscars for *The Godfather*?
Pacino clarifies that his absence was due to fear, not because he was protesting the nomination.
Did Al Pacino and Diane Keaton think *The Godfather* would be a disaster?
Yes, they thought the film was terrible based on the initial wedding scene and believed their careers were over.
Did Al Pacino win an Oscar for *The Godfather*?
No, he didn’t win an Oscar for *The Godfather* but won his first Academy Award for *Scent of a Woman* in 1993.
