Al Pacino says 'it's fun' to be a new dad at 84
Check out: Al Pacino discusses his brushes with death, his role in The Godfather, and the story behind his phone case.
The Godfather has never actually been a godfather in the traditional sense.
He’s fairly confident that this is the situation.
One of the greatest movie icons of all time, Al Pacino, is in a hotel suite in Beverly Hills, looking astonished at the notion that this recognition has somehow eluded him.
"I'm not really sure, but I suppose I don't associate with people who would even bring that up," he reflects.
"I can't recall anyone ever asking me that."
If you happen to be Al Pacino's godchild and he doesn’t remember, just keep in mind what his character Michael Corleone once said in The Godfather: “it’s nothing personal.”
Recently, Pacino has been reflecting on his life as he reaches the age of 84. The acclaimed actor, known for his roles in movies like Dog Day Afternoon, Heat, and The Irishman, has penned his autobiography called Sonny Boy, a name his mother affectionately used for him.
He shares that one of the motivations behind his decision to document his life was the arrival of his fourth child, a son named Roman, who is now 16 months old. This significant event took place last year when he was 83 years old.
The book ensures that the child will have the chance to discover his father’s narrative.
"I want to be present for this child, and I truly wish I will be," he expresses.
"I wish to remain in good health, and I trust that he will recognize who his father is, naturally."
Image credit: Getty Images
Noor Alfallah gave birth to her son with Pacino, Roman, in June 2023.
Al Pacino, who has never tied the knot, is no longer in a relationship with Roman's mother, the film producer Noor Alfallah, but they are raising their child together. From what he mentions, his daily interaction is mostly through online communication.
Pacino mentions, "He occasionally sends me messages."
“Everything he does feels genuine, and I find it all captivating. We have conversations, and I even play the harmonica with him during our video chats, which helps us connect. It’s a great time.”
Al Pacino has captured audiences' affection once more with his remarkable performance on screen.
Friends of Al Pacino have been reaching out to him, curious about his decision to write a memoir. He acknowledges that he feels a bit of regret about it.
Throughout the years, he had declined numerous opportunities, but he finally concluded that after everything he's experienced, his life might be intriguing enough for someone to read about.
What he especially liked was reflecting on his childhood spent in the South Bronx of New York.
It's evident that he has no hesitation in returning to his most successful movies.
More than five decades have passed since Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather catapulted Al Pacino to stardom. This December marks the 50th anniversary of its sequel, The Godfather Part II. Both of these movies received the Academy Award for Best Picture. Additionally, there was The Godfather Part III released in 1990, a film that Pacino has acknowledged had its "challenges."
The reality is that Pacino nearly wasn't included in their ranks.
Back then, the situation was quite different. He was almost presented with an offer that he simply couldn’t turn down.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Pacino in The Godfather and the moment that "rescued me"
Relaxing and smiling brightly, Pacino enthusiastically recounts how nearly faced the possibility of being fired in the first two weeks of filming: “When your director approaches you and says, ‘I really believed in you. What's going on? You're not meeting expectations.’”
"You can hear the birds singing in every direction, and a feeling starts to wash over you: 'I get the sense that I might not belong here.'"
The studio was urging Coppola to find a different actor for Pacino, as they believed his acting was lacking energy.
Everything transformed with the shooting of one of the most iconic moments in The Godfather, where Michael Corleone, played by Pacino, retrieves a concealed gun from a restroom to eliminate a crime lord and a corrupt police officer. This powerful scene enabled Pacino to deliver a performance that has since been celebrated as one of the greatest in film history.
He thinks that Coppola advanced the scene in the filming timetable to "cut to the chase, since that's what the studio was eager to witness."
"He now insists he didn't," Pacino chuckles.
In any case, it transformed his life.
He then presents an intriguing idea about who might have taken his place if he had been let go.
He takes a moment to think and says, "Bob De Niro is someone I immediately think of."
This would have undoubtedly altered the course of cinematic history—Robert De Niro stepping into the Godfather franchise a film ahead of schedule and portraying Michael instead of the young Vito.
“Absolutely! Why not?” laughs Pacino. “The truth is, I’m not essential.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
Scarface is filled with memorable lines, but when it first came out, it didn't do very well at the box office.
Nonetheless, it's Scarface from 1983 that appears to occupy a unique spot in his affections.
"It has a certain something. It was intense," he smiles when the topic of the brutal, drug-fueled gangster movie comes up. He talks about its journey from being a box office disappointment and Razzie nominee to becoming a cult favorite, calling it "a feel-good story."
"The hip-hop community really took it in and recognized the story it had to tell," he notes, adding that the film set new records for VHS sales.
When I suggested to him that this might be the film he really wished he had won an Oscar for, instead of his win a decade later for portraying a blind veteran in Scent of a Woman, he responded with an intrigued, "Yes, that's interesting." He added, "Yeah. I would have liked to at least get a nomination." However, he then quickly clarified, "Not that I'm dismissing Scent of a Woman."
However, the meaning is unmistakable.
Photo credit: Getty Images
In 1993, Pacino received his first and only Oscar for his outstanding performance as Best Actor in the film Scent of a Woman.
Hollywood's Future: What's Next?
One thing that clearly comes across in the interview is how deeply Pacino still cares for the cinema.
Even though ticket sales at the box office have dropped by 40% over the past ten years, he can't picture a Los Angeles that lacks movie theaters.
He takes a moment before stating again, "It just can't happen," and then mentions a few directors he trusts to protect the future of cinema—one in his 60s and two in their 80s. He points out, "That’s exactly what Scorsese is working on. That’s what Tarantino is focused on. Francis Coppola is doing his part too.”
It's quite daring to bring this up, especially since Coppola's current self-funded movie, Megalopolis, is seen as one of the biggest failures at the box office in history.
Pacino might want to keep in mind the timeless line from The Godfather: “A true friend should never overestimate your good qualities.”
Nonetheless, it’s quite comforting when he explains why he thinks cinema will ultimately be fine by stating, “Perhaps it’s just my age influencing me. Life continues and evolves, and that’s simply a part of who we are.”
He has a relaxed attitude about the use of AI to create an image of him after he's passed away: “When I'm no longer here, my kids will step in and handle it. I have faith in them.”
He won't impose any restrictions on the projects he chooses to take part in, casually stating, "I'm not concerned about that."
Photo credit: Radical Entertainment
Pacino's image was featured in the 2006 video game Scarface: The World Is Yours.
What was supposed to be a 45-minute session has stretched to nearly an hour and 20 minutes, revealing just how much he loves to tell stories.
One of the key moments was his captivating story about how he thinks he might have passed away during the pandemic after collapsing at home.
People seem to assume that I don’t have faith in an afterlife just because I mentioned that I didn’t see anything. No bright light, no tunnels. Perhaps there’s no afterlife waiting for me, but it’s possible that others are headed somewhere since they experienced what I did not.
He is also eager to share his experience from 2011 when he discovered that all the money in his bank accounts was gone.
"I had run out of funds. All of it was depleted, and my accountant was locked up. I was unknowingly blowing through $400,000 every month. It’s hard to believe someone could be that oblivious."
When asked about what he's currently watching, Pacino just finished binge-watching the second season of Netflix's Monster, which focuses on the Menendez Brothers. Earlier that day, he took the time to write a handwritten letter to Javier Bardem to commend him on his acting.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Driver are two younger actors he greatly respects. He reflects on his own career with a famous saying: “The best performances often have me wielding a gun. People say to give Pacino a gun and you’ve got a success.”
He also shares that Jamie Foxx is the top chess player in Hollywood. Pacino mentioned that he used to play frequently and chuckles when I inquire about ever challenging Robert De Niro. “I’m not sure he even knows how to play,” he replies with a grin.
Image credit: Getty Images
Many individuals do have a guiding star, but many others do not.
An unexpected detail comes to light when he sets his phone down on the table. The case features a collage of Shrek images. He shares that his youngest daughter, Olivia, picked it out a few years back, and he's held onto it just to make her happy.
Even though he has the experience of voicing Shrek, there’s one thing he’s not interested in: lending his voice to animated movies. He admits, “I really can’t do it. I’ve given it a shot.”
I asked him if he genuinely believes that a top-notch method actor wouldn't be able to voice a cartoon character. Not even a panda, for example?
"Alright, I believe I can," he concedes, then laughs and says, "Honestly, I really don't want to."
In addition to never having taken on the role of godfather, there's a noticeable gap in Pacino's accolades - he doesn't have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The moment the subject comes up, he cuts in with, "Oh, I don’t have a star."
He has been aware of this for some time now, so he turns to his assistant Mike and asks, "Is there a system in place for all of this? Is there a formula to becoming a star?"
"You've had a lot on your plate, haven't you?" Mike calls out in response.
And is he interested in having one?
At 84 years old, Pacino remains a man with aspirations in Hollywood.
Sonny Boy featuring Al Pacino has just been released.
A one-hour edition of this interview is set to air on BBC 2 on October 25th at 9:00 PM BST.
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