Alfredo James Pacino, better known as Al Pacino, was born on April 25, 1940, in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. He was the son of Italian-American parents, Rose Gerard Pacino and Salvatore Pacino, who abandoned them when he was two years old. After growing up in a highly protective family, where he was only allowed to leave at the age of 7. At just 9 years old, Al Pacino started smoking, and drinking alcohol until at 13, he began using marijuana. Not everything was cinema and screens from the beginning, before he devoted himself to acting, he was a messenger, janitor, waiter’s assistant and mail employee, all to get paid for the acting studies. When he was able to enroll in herbert Berghof Studio school, Al Pacino slept in the theater or at his friends’ house. Charlie Laughton, who formed it for years and thanks to him, managed to enter to learn with Lee Strasberg.Entering his career, began in 1967 in Boston, on the stage of the Charles Playhouse Theatre, his second performance was in New York in the plays The Indian wants the Bronx and Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?, with the first won an Obie Award and with the second , his first Tony.Su first screen appearance was in an episode of ABC’s police series N.Y.P.D.. The episode premiered on November 12, 1968 Its arrival on the big screen was with the 1969 film Me, Natalie. And his first lead role came two years later in the film The Panic in Needle Park (1971), where Francis Coppola realized he could bet on him for his next film. This is how he landed the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972), where his first film nominations arrived, but nominated for Best Supporting Actor, where he refused to attend the ceremony because he felt worthy of the main Oscar, which Marlon Brando won but also refused to accept because of Hollywood’s treatment of Native Americans. One highlight is that although they co-starred during Godfather II with Robert de Niro, they never shared a scene. His first Oscar nomination as lead actor was for the film Serpico (1973), where the actor played the role of Agent Frank Serpico, with whom he lived to understand his role in the film.
Al Pacino after receiving his first Oscar
Ten years after his first Oscar and after recording several films such as Dog Day Afternoon, Justice for All, in 1983 he was cast as Tony Montana in Scarface, a role that will also be historically remembered alongside michael Corleone.Su’s first and only Oscar came in 1993 with the film Scent of a Woman.
Al Pacino not only knew how to make his mark in the cinema with his dazzling roles, but he also knew how to direct and script works. In 1996 he made his director, narrator and actor debut in Looking for Richard, a documentary based on W. Shakespeare’s Richard III, of which Al Pacino was a fan. Other films from his many films throughout his story are:
Sea of Love (1989) was nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Drama.
Dick Tracy (1990) nominated for an Oscar, Bafta and Golden Globe award.
The Godfather III (1990)
Heat (1995)
Insomnia (2002)
The Merchant of Venice (2004), adaptation of William Shakespeare.
Jack and Jill (2011) won the Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor in the Film.
After years of few hits, in 2015 he was again nominated for the golden globe as best actor in musical comedy in the film Danny Collins, but failed to win itIn 2019 Al Pacino managed to drive the audience back crazy in the film directed by Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.Also in that same year he returned to work with Martin Scorsese in Irish Theman , with Robert de Niro.
With more than 50 starring films, 7 documentaries and 17 roles in plays, we can say that Al Pacino’s success is and will be indisputable. Tell us what’s your favorite movie?
