Of all the countless actors who were offered The Godfather's star role, Michael Corleone, Jack Nicholson was perhaps the one with the highest chance to live up to Pacino's timeless effort.

Who was almost cast as Michael Corleone?

Numerous actors, many of whom were bankable stars, were considered to play Michael. From Jack Nicholson to Warren Beatty and Robert Redford, some of Hollywood's biggest stars were either offered the role or turned it down. Coppola held out for Pacino, but Paramount made a move to cast James Caan as Michael.

Who turned down roles in The Godfather?

Dustin Hoffman and Jack Nicholson both turned down the role of Michael. There were many actors considered for role of Michael. Robert Redford…he was too WASPish, Martin Sheen who actually auditioned for the role. Who turned down the Godfather role?

Who almost played Sonny in The Godfather?

Anthony Perkins not only auditioned for Sonny, but also for Tom Hagen. Originally Caan was to be cast as the main character Michael Corleone (Sonny's youngest brother), while Carmine Caridi was signed as Sonny. However Coppola demanded that the role of Michael be played by Al Pacino instead.

Who was upset about The Godfather?

Frank Sinatra had a grudge against The Godfather due to the character Johnny Fontane, whom he felt was a commentary on his own career. Johnny Fontane is a famous singer and the godson of Don Vito Corleone, the head of the Corleone crime family.

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What did real mobsters think of The Godfather?

Though The Godfather was initially targeted by the mob – including threats and intimidation tactics – the film and its themes of honour and old-time loyalty were embraced by the mob.

Who turned down the role of Johnny Fontane?

Damone eventually declined the role because of a salary dispute and also because he did not want to provoke the mob or anger Frank Sinatra, whom Damone profoundly respected. Ultimately, the part of Johnny Fontane was given to Martino.

Who was the first choice for The Godfather?

Marlon Brando's performance in the title role is considered among the five most accomplished screen performances from anywhere in the world. Hard as it may be to believe, Brando was not the first choice to play Don Vito Corleone. The British legend Sir Laurence Olivier was the first actor to be offered the role.

Who auditioned for Kay in The Godfather?

Mia Farrow As Kay Corleone

But she wasn't the first choice for the role. Three horror movie starlets — Rosemary's Baby's Mia Farrow, Don't Look Now's Julie Christie, and Trilogy of Terror's Karen Black (who got her film debut in Francis Ford Coppola's You're a Big Boy Now) — were also considered to play Kay.

Who was supposed to play Mary Corleone?

Try watching this video on www.youtube.com, or enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser. However, Coppola playing Mary was not the original plan, as Winona Ryder was first cast, and even flew to Rome to shoot just one day after wrapping production on another film.

Why did Jack Nicholson refuse The Godfather?

The primary reason why Jack Nicholson turned down the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather was that the presently retired Nicholson, who identified himself as being Irish throughout his career, felt that the role of the Italian-American Michael should be played by an Italian actor.

Who tried to stop The Godfather from being made?

Colombo family crime boss Joe Colombo (center) first tried to stop production on the "The Godftaher" — then turned over and helped it get made. Director Francis Ford Coppola accepted one of the film's three Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Was Jack Nicholson supposed to be in The Godfather?

He read The Godfather script and knew that the film would be a hit, based on the quality of Mario Puzo's novel alone. But even with this enthusiasm for the project, Nicholson turned down the role of Michael Corleone.

Who didn't want Al Pacino in The Godfather?

Diane Keaton said she was cast before Al Pacino in the 1972 classic gangster flick "The Godfather." The actress said Pacino was not the first choice to star as Michael Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola film. "Nobody wanted Al Pacino.

Who was originally cast as Luca Brasi?

Lenny Montana(1926-1992)

Tall and solidly built, this Italian-American professional wrestler turned actor was born Lenny Passaforo in Brooklyn, New York, and is best remembered for his first on-screen role as the not too bright but ever loyal bodyguard Luca Brasi in.

Who did Paramount want to play Don Corleone?

Brando had been acquiring a reputation for not just box-office flops such as Burn and not being able to draw crowds to the cinema like he used to. Puzo wanted Brando as Don Corleone, going so far as to write Brando a letter pleading with him to take the part, but Paramount wanted Danny Thomas.

Who was originally cast as Sonny Corleone?

Why was James Caan cast as Sonny in The Godfather even though he isn't Italian? Originally Caan was to be cast as the main character Michael Corleone, while Carmine Caridi was signed as Sonny. However, Coppola demanded that the role of Michael be played by Al Pacino instead.

Was Michael in love with Apollonia?

Even when they walk together and she briefly stumbles, Michael catching her can be seen as a metaphor for exercising control. Later, in The Godfather Part III, Michael has a flashback about Apollonia. While he states that he loved her, it isn't clear if that is actually an honest admission.

Did Michael actually love Kay?

lisbethblom said: Al Pacino in 1990: “Michael loved Kay when he met her and he loved her throughout his life and he loves her to this day. He not only loves her but he also admires her.” lisbethblom said: This is such a fantastic write up.

Why didn't they like Al Pacino in The Godfather?

Posting a portion of Al Pacino's audition tape for the role of Michael Corleone to his Instagram account, the director stated: “The interesting thing here, was a reason given to me against casting Pacino was not only was he too short, but also too 'scruffy'.”

Who won the Oscars for The Godfather?

The 1972 film 'The Godfather' had 11 nominations and won three Academy Awards in the 1973 ceremony, in the following categories: Best Picture. Best Actor: Marlon Brando. Best Adapted Screenplay: Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola.

How old was Al Pacino in The Original Godfather?

Al Pacino was 31 when he played Michael Corleone in The Godfather, but the character was only 25. In The Godfather Part III, Pacino was 49 while the character, Michael Corleone, was 59 years old.

Who tried out for the role of Michael Corleone?

Potential candidates for Michael included the era's most bankable stars, including Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Ryan O'Neal and Jack Nicholson. "Martin Sheen was considered," Seal says. "Frank Langella. Nobody wanted Al Pacino, except for Coppola.

Who was fired from The Godfather?

Ruddy (Miles Teller) was fired as the producer of The Godfather but the Paramount+ series makes the circumstances even more dramatic than they were in real life.

Was Johnny Fontaine really based on Frank Sinatra?

In real life, Sinatra reportedly believed that the book's drunken, philandering lounge singer Johnny Fontaine was based on him. Puzo long denied that Fontaine was anything but a fictional character, but the portrayal rubbed Ol' Blue Eyes the wrong way.