In the historical context of acting and performance,Al Pacino’s name is up there with the greats of the craft. Throughout his career, Pacino has always had a knack for taking up roles that are distinctly different from each other, in an attempt to constantly reinvent himself, and focus on ingenuity at the heart of all things.
With films likeThe Godfatherseries, Dog Day Afternoon, andHeat,Pacino’s place among the upper echelons of elite performers is sealed and steady. But what really sets him apart from his peers lies in Pacino’s ability to identify and immerse himself into projects that align with his own moral compass. With such a strong guiding force, it’s only natural for the veteran actor to have not related to all the scripts that came his way, missing out on a few monumental roles. Here’s a look at some of the major roles that Al Pacino turned down or didn’t get.
10Snake Eyes (1998)
Snake Eyeswould make for a reunion for director Brian De Palma and Al Pacino after the raging success ofScarface.After rounds and rounds of talk between the studio executives, Brian De Palma, and Al Pacino, Pacino opted out of the film and Gary Sinise was brought on board to star opposite Nicolas Cage.
Related:Best Brian De Palma Films, Ranked
9Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
TheBeverly Hills Copmovie was conceptually very different from what it came to be. Before being a gimmicky platform forEddie Murphy to lend his comic sensibilities,the film played along the lines of an edgy crime thriller, with different directors like Martin Scorsese and David Cronenberg attached to the project. Along with high-profile directors, there were also A-list actors that were on the shopping list of the studio executives, with Pacino being one of the names among many.
8The Usual Suspects (1995)
In one of the biggest regrets of his career, Pacino turned down the role of the U.S. Customs agent, Dave Kujan inThe Usual Suspectsas he thought it was too similar to his character inHeat.Having already played a similar,man-of-the-law type character,Pacino wanted to try something different, but upon watching the film he instantly regretted his decision.
7Goodfellas (1990)
Al Pacino and Robert De Niro were arguably the most sought-after movie stars of their time. That only made the overlap of roles offered to them even more natural and organic. One such instance was when Scorsese offered Pacino the role of Jimmy “The Gent” Conway, in his gangster film,Goodfellas.Pacino turned down the roleand Scorsese approached De Niro to star in the role, and the rest is history.
6Die Hard (1998)
When Pacino was asked about his career choices in a rare interview, the legendary actor replied that “he’s not a very good judge of what’s good”. He further went on to talk about some notable films he turned down, includingDie Hard,and joked that he gave Bruce Willis a career.
Related:The Most Essential Moments in Bruce Willis Movies, Ranked
5Star Wars (1997)
After Harrison Ford took up Han Solo’s role and made it his own, it’s difficult to picture any actor, including the great Pacino, doing what he did. But that wasn’t always the case, before Ford,Star Warswas offered to Pacino, but he rejected the role because he didn’t quite understand the script.
4Pretty Woman (1990)
Another iconic role that Pacino turned down was Richard Gere’s role inPretty Woman.Though when Pacino was offered the role, the film wasn’t as vanilla as it finally turned out to be.The original idea for the film was a gritty revelationabout two damaged individuals who spend time together and end in tatters, rather than a sugarcoated happy ending.
3Kramer vs Kramer (1979)
In an ironic twist of fate, the role that won Dustin Hoffman his first Oscar was originally offered to Pacino, but the veteran actor passed on it without even going through the script. This was partially due to the heavy influx of films offered to him after the success ofThe GodfatherandDog Day Afternoon.
Related:Best Films About Divorce, Ranked
2Taxi Driver (1976)
In another example of constant comparison, Pacino was offered the role of Travis Bickle before De Niro in Scorsese’s classic filmTaxi Driver.Along with Pacino, Dustin Hoffman also rejected the role, publicly turning down the offer before De Niro was roped in to play what now seems to be an iconic character. Pacino’s intention for passing on the film seems unclear, but with the film’s cult-like status, Pacino’s bound to feel a pang of jealousy.
1Apocalypse Now (1979)
After the success of the twoGodfatherfilms, Pacino and Coppola had a great understanding of each other’s process. When Coppola offered the role of Captain Willard inApocalypse Now,Pacino declined becausehe wasn’t ready to do a film likeApocalypse Now,as it required for him to live in a jungle away from home for months on end. Considering the tortured production and Martin Sheen’s heart attack episode, Pacino might have saved himself some high drama and trauma. The only downside is the film could have been so much better had Pacino agreed to do it,elevating it even further in repute and craft.
