Anthony Perkins auditioned to play Sonny Corleone before James Caan was cast, while the producers also considered John Saxon for the part. Burt Reynolds was one of the filmmakers' top choices, but there's an urban legend that Marlon Brando refused to work with him. Reynolds didn't think Coppola would cast him, anyway.

Who was supposed to play Sonny in 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 the first choice for Sonny Corleone?

According to studio executive Robert Evans in his 1994 memoir The Kid Stays in the Picture, Caridi was director Francis Ford Coppola's first choice for the role of Sonny Corleone, but Evans insisted on James Caan because Caridi was too tall to play opposite Al Pacino.

Who turned down the lead role in Godfather?

Jack Nicholson turned down the role of Michael Corleone because he believed that actors should stick to playing characters of their own ethnicity.

Who was originally casted 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.

How Sonny Corleone Betrayed the Corleone Family? | The Godfather Explained

Who was almost cast as Michael Corleone?

According to Peter Cowie's 1997 publication The Godfather Book, Paramount initially targeted Warren Beatty and Robert Redford to star as Michael Corleone. By the early '70s, however, Beatty already had a loyal following after starring in the 1967 classic Bonnie and Clyde.

Who was originally cast as Michael Corleone?

Coppola continued to audition actors for Michael including Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, David Carradine and Martin Sheen. The studios pushed James Caan for Michael but he wasn't Sicilian enough for Coppola (Caan is Jewish). “There was a movement not to have me in the part,” Pacino acknowledged.

Who turned down the role of Forrest Gump?

John Travolta – 'Forrest Gump'

Travolta almost filled Forrest Gump's Nikes in the iconic film before Hanks was slated for the role. Speaking to MTV in 2007, Travolta shared that he did not have any regrets about turning down the part.

Why did Jack Nicholson refuse The Godfather?

But even with this enthusiasm for the project, Nicholson turned down the role of Michael Corleone. And his reasoning, as revealed in a 2004 interview with Moveline, was that "Italians should play Italians."

Who is the real villain in The Godfather?

Emilio "The Wolf" Barzini is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather and in its 1972 film adaptation, in which he is portrayed by Richard Conte.

Who didn t want Al Pacino in Godfather?

"The studio didn't want Al Pacino at all," Keaton said, noting that she was cast before him in the Francis Ford Coppola classic.

Did Sylvester Stallone audition for The Godfather?

Sylvester Stallone has become one of the biggest stars in the history of Hollywood, but even he couldn't get everything he wanted as he was rejected when he asked to be an extra in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather.

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.

Why is De Niro not in Godfather?

De Niro had previously auditioned for the first installment, The Godfather (1972), but quit the project in favor of doing The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight.

Did Connie know Carlo killed Sonny?

Connie (who was unaware of her husband's role in Sonny's murder), hysterical after Carlo's death, blames Michael, denouncing him in front of his wife, Kay. In the novel, Connie quickly recovers from Carlo's demise, apparently relieved to be rid of an abusive, philandering husband.

Why did Frank Sinatra not want The Godfather?

It does, however, help explain why he took issue with the character of Johnny Fontaine in The Godfather – a performer who only achieved stardom thanks to a Mob boss pulling strings. As The Offer illustrates, Sinatra took this insinuation as a personal insult.

What word was intentionally omitted from the film The Godfather?

A civil-rights league ensured the words "mafia" and "Cosa Nostra" were excluded from the film. With concern that the film would portray harmful Italian stereotypes, the Italian-American Civil Rights League held a rally in 1970 to protest and halt the production.

Who tried out for The Godfather?

Robert Redford As Michael Corleone

Warren Beatty was offered the chance to direct, produce, and star as Michael, but turned it down. Dustin Hoffman and Jack Nicholson also turned down the part. David Carradine and Martin Sheen auditioned for the role and Tommy Lee Jones was briefly considered.

What roles did Michelle Pfeiffer turn down?

Back in 2019, Pfeiffer opened up about various films that she has turned down over the years — including Pretty Woman, Basic Instinct and Thelma and Louise — during an interview on the Today show.

What was Forrest Gump diagnosed with?

They specifically looked at Groom's descriptions of Gump's interactions with his world and other people, comparing those to the DSM-IV criterion for a medical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, ASD. They concluded that Gump meets the requirements.

Who was originally slated to play Forrest Gump?

John Travolta was the original choice to play the title role and said that passing on the role was a mistake. Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Matthew Broderick were also considered for the role.

What was Michael Corleone's famous line?

Michael Corleone : Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment.

Who killed Michael Corleone?

After the performance, Mosca shoots Michael, wounding him, and a second bullet hits Mary, killing her. Mary's death breaks Michael's spirit, and he screams in agony over her body. In an epilogue scene set in 1997, an elderly Michael dies in the same courtyard where he married Appollonia.

Who was the highest paid actor in The Godfather?

A distinguished character actor, Richard S. Castellano was the highest earning actor in The Godfather, whose fame outside the saga included playing Joe Girelli in The Super. He also received an Academy Award nomination for his role in Love and Other Strangers.