Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather brought to light exceptional stars like Al Pacino. The actor, who was primarily known for his stage work and made his Hollywood debut in the late 1960s, earned immense acclaim, along with an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The actor reprised the iconic role in subsequent sequels of the movie, which has not only been hailed in the gangster genre but also among some of the greatest films of all time.
However, the saga almost took a tragic turn for Pacino after he got severely ill while filming the 1974 sequel, The Godfather II. The Oscar-winning actor later recalled his experience, saying he could have not survived if he continued filming the movie at the time.
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Al Pacino Got Severely Ill While Filming The Godfather 2
Following his acclaimed portrayal of Michael Corleone in the 1972 film, Al Pacino continued his Hollywood triumph by starring in movies like Scarecrow and Serpico. Earning his second Oscar nomination for the latter, the actor was gearing up for his next one with reprising his role in The Godfather II.
However, while filming for the movie in the Dominican Republic, Pacino faced a significant health setback. As per Entertainment Weekly, the actor was stricken with a severe illness and had to be hospitalized, where his condition worsened. Concerned for his friend, co-star Lee Strasberg contacted Pacino’s physician.
His physician decided to fly him back to the United States for his treatment. Reflecting on this critical moment, Pacino revealed the gravity of his condition as he shared that the doctor told him that it could have been fatal if his physician had not decided to fly him to the United States that day.
“The doctor told me I would have died if I’d been in there one more day,” he told the outlet while sharing his experience working on The Godfather sequel. Despite the health scare, Pacino’s performance in the film secured him a third Oscar nomination at the 47th Academy Awards.
The Studio Was Reluctant to Cast Al Pacino as Michael Corleone
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather adaptation faced several casting issues with the studio. The filmmaker was adamant about casting Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone, but the studio executives were reluctant about his suggestion. And the studio also did not side with Coppola’s choice for the role of Michale Corleone.
The Godfather director wanted to cast Al Pacino as the heir to the Corleone crime empire, but the studio was looking forward to seeing a big name taking on the role in the 1972 film. The actor also shared that he did not understand why Coppola wanted to cast him.
“I was shocked, like everybody else,” he shared as he explained that he believed he was considered for the role of Sonny Corleone. Coppola eventually used Pacino’s 1971 drama The Panic in Needle Park to convince the Paramount executives for the actor’s casting.
The Godfather trilogy is available to stream on Paramount+.
