Turns out self-doubt spares no one, not even the talented Diane Keaton! It’s hard to believe she couldn’t fathom landing a role in The Godfather after years of hard work. Throughout that time, she often found herself questioning why she was chosen, convinced she didn’t belong there at all.
But just look at her now! That iconic film didn’t just launch her career into the stratosphere, it also transformed her personal life in unexpected ways. After all, it marked the beginning of her unforgettable saga with Al Pacino!
Diane Keaton Didn’t Understand Why Francis Ford Coppola Cast Her in The Godfather!
The Godfather changed a lot of lives, not just for those who watched the film but also for the people involved in making it. Diane Keaton, though a legend now, didn’t have much under her belt when she started working on the movie, which led her to question, “Why me?” That question kept gnawing at her.
She played the role of Kay Corleone opposite Al Pacino. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about her work and the film’s most recent accomplishments, she revealed her personal experience on the project, stating,
I was terrified. I didn’t understand why me. I mean, I went up to the audition. I didn’t even really — I hadn’t read it. See, this is bad! But I needed a job, so I got up there. I’d been auditioning around for about a year, and then this happened like that. And I kept thinking, “Why me? Why would he cast me?” I didn’t understand it. I still don’t, really.
She revealed that it still feels like a dream to her how it all started and how suddenly she became part of the who’s who in the industry. Although it wasn’t sudden at all, there were years of hard work behind the scenes that she modestly chose not to boast about. She also spoke about her relationship with Francis Ford Coppola, the director on set, saying,
I didn’t ask because I never really had a palsy friendship with our director [Francis Ford Coppola]. He was nice. When he was working, he would say, if he didn’t like something, he’d tell me, “Try this.” That was it! It wasn’t what I thought it would be. I thought, “Oh my God, I’m trouble. I shouldn’t be here. I’m supposed to be more of a comedy-type person.”
Fans truly cannot imagine anyone else in that role now. As the years have passed, people will forever be grateful to the universe for having her play the part and for making the film what it is with her touch.
Love in the Shadows! Al Pacino and Diane Keaton’s Godfather Love Story!
The two, Diane Keaton and Al Pacino first crossed paths on the set of The Godfather, but their romance didn’t start until the filming of The Godfather Part II.
The couple began dating in 1974, their undeniable on-screen chemistry carried off the set as well, Keaton once fondly recalled having a crush on the legendary star. In a 2013 interview with The Telegraph, she revealed,
I was really very taken with Al from the very beginning
People magazine then caught the actress madly in love with Pacino, leading her to confess,
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. And oh, gorgeous!
Alas, as their romance began with The Godfather it also faded away as the saga concluded. Al Pacino and Diane Keaton ended their on-again, off-again relationship sometime after The Godfather Part III. Rumors suggested that the breakup stemmed from Pacino’s hesitation to commit to marriage, while Keaton issued an ultimatum, ultimately marking the end of their love story.
All three of The Godfather movies are available to stream on Paramount+.
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