Al Pacino’s favourite actor who taught him “more than anybody”
Regularly named by fans and critics as one of the most talented actors of his generation, Al Pacino had an unparalleled impact on the cultural frameworks of American cinema. Ranging from The Godfather to Scarface, Pacino’s filmography is filled with iconic masterpieces that have inspired countless filmmakers and aspiring actors. That’s exactly why when he praises another artist, those opinions always hold a lot of weight.
Over the course of his illustrious career, Pacino has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry – from Marlon Brando to Robert De Niro. In fact, his latest collaboration with the latter, Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, reminded fans that they are still capable of maintaining their incredible on-screen chemistry and creating something magical. However, there’s one actor whom Pacino considers to be a cut above the rest.
That actor was none other than John Cazale, one of the definitive stars of the 1970s who starred in some of the greatest films of the 20th century. Pacino worked with Cazale on several productions – including The Godfather series and Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon. They also collaborated on several theatrical works, which is why Pacino cited Cazale as the single greatest influence on his artistic journey as an actor.
During a conversation with The New York Times, Pacino declared: “John Cazale, in general, was one of the great actors of our time — that time, any time. I learned so much from him. I had done a lot of theatre and three films with him. He was inspiring, he just was. And he didn’t get credit for any of it. He was in five films, all Oscar-nominated films, and he was great in all of them. He was particularly great in Godfather II, and I don’t think he got that kind of recognition.”
On multiple occasions, Pacino has spoken at length about Cazale’s genius and claimed that he was the one who changed Pacino’s approach to his craft. In another interview, the Scarface star pointed out that Cazale was brilliant at inhabiting the mental space of a character which translated to his fantastic performances in both films and theatre. This unique quality made a deep impression on Pacino, who tried to incorporate it as well.
“He had a great sense of reality,” Pacino explained while talking about Cazale’s greatness. “John was the actor who became who he was playing… He was amazing to watch, I mean, it was a lesson in itself. I think I learned more about acting from John than anybody… John grew in a role and grew and became it and became it more and more, and he never stopped. It was endless. That’s what he taught me too, that it’s just never over. You just keep going.”
Watch the interview below.
