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.

Why was Robert De Niro not in The Godfather?

De Niro had originally been cast in the role of Paulie, but left the movie to take a role in the film “The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight.” The reason there was an opening in that film? Pacino had left the movie to play Michael.

What role did De Niro turn down in The Godfather?

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.

Did Robert De Niro audition for The Godfather?

Robert De Niro auditioned for the 1972 film The Godfather and was surprisingly rejected. Watch his audition tape.

Why didn t they want Al Pacino to play in Godfather?

Part of their reasoning was that they didn't think Pacino's creative vision for Corleone was right. Pacino, however, disagreed, but it was ultimately Francis Ford Coppola who was able to change his mind by persuading him to take a second look at the footage.

What Roles Has Robert De Niro Turned Down? | CASTING CALLS

Did Robert De Niro really speak Italian in The Godfather?

Robert De Niro spent four months learning to speak the Sicilian dialect of Italian in order to play Vito Corleone. Nearly all of the dialogue that his character speaks in the film was in Sicilian. Originally, the actors in the flashback scenes wore pants with zippers.

Who was first choice for Michael Corleone?

Coppola was dead set on directing Al Pacino and Diane Keaton in what would become their first major film roles, as well as the more established screen actors Robert Duvall and James Caan (who was originally considered by Paramount for Michael Corleone).

Is Al Pacino an Italian?

Alfredo James Pacino was born in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on April 25, 1940, the only child of Sicilian Italian-American parents Rose (née Gerardi) and Salvatore Pacino.

Did they film in Italy for The Godfather?

The Godfather was shot in multiple locations, including parts of New York City (as well as some of the burroughs), Los Angeles, and two different cities in Sicily. Francis Ford Coppola, the director, wanted the bulk of the filming to be in New York City.

Why did Marlon Brando not do Godfather 2?

Several actors from the first film did not return for the sequel. Marlon Brando initially agreed to return for the birthday flashback sequence, but the actor, feeling mistreated by the board at Paramount, failed to show up for the single day's shooting. Coppola then rewrote the scene that same day.

Does Robert De Niro speak Italian?

Robert De Niro has alweys been proud of his Italian roots, as a matter of fact his great-grandparents were from Molise. His ability in speaking the Sicilian dialect in The Godfather II led him to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Clint Eastwood acted in Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy.

Is Robert De Niro Italian?

One of the greatest actors of all time, Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943 in Manhattan, New York City, to artists Virginia (Admiral) and Robert De Niro Sr. His paternal grandfather was of Italian descent, and his other ancestry is Irish, English, Dutch, German, and French.

Who tried out for the role of Michael Corleone?

Coppola continued to audition actors for Michael including Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, David Carradine and Martin Sheen.

Who didn t want Al Pacino for 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. She then explained what caused the studio to change their opinion: their chemistry read.

Are Robert De Niro and Al Pacino still friends?

The Oscar winners have been friends for half a century and their kin span generations. And in May, news dropped that De Niro welcomed his seventh child at 79, and Pacino is expecting his fourth at 83. During a Thursday appearance on “Today,” De Niro weighed in on his longtime friend's baby news.

Who was Hyman Roth based on?

Hyman Roth is based on real casino mogul Meyer Lansky.

Hyman Roth, played in The Godfather: Part II by actor Lee Strasberg, was based on real-life mobster Meyer Lansky. Lansky is widely credited for coming up with some of the key innovations upon which the casino and gambling industry is built today.

Is Corleone a real town in Sicily?

Corleone (Italian: [korleˈoːne]; Sicilian: Cunigghiuni [kʊnɪɟˈɟuːnɪ] or Curliuni [kʊɾlɪˈuːnɪ]) is an Italian town and comune of roughly 11,158 inhabitants in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, in Sicily.

How long was Michael in Italy?

Michael escapes to Sicily and spends two years under Corleone ally Don Tommasino's (Corrado Gaipa) protection. Michael falls in love with and marries a young local woman named Apollonia Vitelli (Simonetta Stefanelli). Back in the United States, Sonny is murdered.

What Italian village was The Godfather filmed in?

Not far from the capital Palermo is the village of Corleone, the original home and family name of the characters in Mario Puzo's Godfather novel, on which the first movie was based. But much of the filming was done in the villages of Forza d'Agro and Savoca, quite a bit further to the east, in the Messina province.

Is Marlon Brando Italian?

Brando's ancestry was mostly German, Dutch, English, and Irish. His patrilineal immigrant ancestor, Johann Wilhelm Brandau, arrived in New York City in the early 1700s from the Palatinate in Germany. He is also a descendant of Louis DuBois, a French Huguenot, who arrived in New York around 1660.

Did Al Pacino live in Sicily?

This achievement makes him one of the few actors to have the "Triple Crown of Acting." While his title role on the Godfather was Michael Corleone, his Italian ancestral hometown is actually the town of Corleone in Sicily. Watch our exclusive video to learn more about Al Pacino's Italian hometown!

What did Diane Keaton say about Al Pacino?

In 2017, Keaton told People she "had a crush" on Pacino when they began shooting the movie. Once they got together, she said, "I was mad for him. Charming, hilarious, a nonstop talker. There was an aspect of him that was like a lost orphan, like this kind of crazy idiot savant.

Who murdered Sonny Corleone?

At the Long Beach Causeway toll plaza, Barzini's men trap Sonny and shoot him to death. During a meeting with the other crime family dons to establish peace, Vito realizes that Barzini masterminded Sonny's murder. After Michael returns from Sicily, he assumes Sonny's place as Vito's heir apparent.

Who turned down the Forrest Gump role?

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.