Nicolas Cage begged his uncle Francis Ford Coppola for a role in 'The Godfather Part III'. The 57-year-old star has revealed how he was desperate to land the part of Vincent Corleone, the illegitimate son of Sonny Corleone (James Caan), in the 1990 film but missed out on the role to Andy Garcia.
The actor had been vying for the role of Vincent Corleone, son of Sonny Corleone (James Caan) and his mistress Lucy Mancini (Jeannie Linero), in the third installment of the franchise. It ultimately went to Andy Garcia, who garnered an Oscar nomination for his performance. The revelation came after Cage and co.
What relation is Nicolas Cage to Francis Ford Coppola?
Through his father, he is a nephew of both director Francis Ford Coppola and actress Talia Shire, and a cousin of directors Roman Coppola and Sofia Coppola, film producer Gian-Carlo Coppola, and actors Robert and Jason Schwartzman. Cage is the youngest of three sons.
The Godfather Part III received criticism, partially due to Sofia Coppola's wooden-like acting performance. Winona Ryder was originally cast as Mary Corleone but had to leave the film due to doctor-recommended reasons, which led Francis Ford Coppola to cast his daughter, Sofia Coppola.
Having seen De Niro's significant acting capabilities, the casting team invited him in for the role. Fortunately, for everyone involved, De Niro dropped out of playing the part of Paulie Gatto to shoot The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight instead.
How did Vito Corleone know it was Barzini all along?
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.
What actor turned down the role of Michael Corleone?
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.
Winona Ryder was initially cast in the role of Mary but eventually left production due to other commitments and nervous exhaustion. The role was ultimately given to Coppola's daughter, Sofia which garnered much criticism and accusations of nepotism.
Who was the first choice to play Michael in The Godfather?
However, since Pacino wasn't Coppola's first option for the role, things could've followed a different course. The part of Michael Corleone was first offered to Dustin Hoffman, who turned it down due to his involvement in Bob Fosse's Lenny.
After her brother's debut concert, the assassin Mosca tries to kill Michael. One bullet grazes Michael's shoulder, but the other accidentally hits Mary in the chest, fatally wounding her. Michael is devastated by Mary's death, and screams in torment while cradling her dead body.
Gage was an Executive Producer of The Godfather Part III, co-writing an early draft of the script with Mario Puzo. The movie was nominated for seven Golden Globe Awards and seven Academy Awards.
The issue of nepotism has plagued Hollywood for years. It reflects the fact that, at its very core, the film industry is corrupt, perpetuating class disparities in the creative industry.
Regarding his early career in Hollywood, Nicolas Cage has revealed some pretty intriguing revelations. Cage reportedly wanted to take part in The Godfather III, the third installment of his famous uncle Francis Ford Coppola's renowned gangster film trilogy. However, he was turned down.
Who does Johnny Fontane represent in The Godfather?
The novel also includes many allusions to real-life mobsters and their associates. For example, Johnny Fontane is based on Frank Sinatra, and Moe Greene on Bugsy Siegel. In addition, the character of Vito Corleone was a composite of real-life organized crime bosses Frank Costello and Carlo Gambino.
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.
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.
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.
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. Despite the age difference, Pacino's portrayal of Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy remains iconic.
Al Pacino was offered $5 million to reprise his role as Michael. But Pacino wanted $7 million plus a percentage of the gross. Francis Ford Coppola refused. He threatened to rewrite the script by starting the story with Michael's funeral sequence instead of the film's introduction.
Viewers criticized Coppola's performance in the film, calling it stiff and unconvincing. While there were valid concerns about nepotism in the film industry, targeting Sofia Coppola specifically seemed hypocritical, as many actors have benefited from family connections throughout Hollywood's history.
Who was Jack Nicholson going to play in The Godfather?
He believed Chinatown and The Last Detail had stronger scripts than The Godfather and The Sting. Although initially interested in playing Michael Corleone, Nicholson felt he was the wrong choice for the role.
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.
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.
