NAME: Al Pacino
OCCUPATION: Film Actor, Theater Actor, Director
BIRTH DATE: April 25, 1940 (Age: 71)
PLACE OF BIRTH: New York, New York
ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus
Alfredo James "Al"Pacino was born in East Harlem, New York City on April 25, 1940, to Italian American parents Rose and Salvatore Alfred Pacino, who divorced when he was only two years old. After that his mother moved to the South Bronx near the Bronx Zoo, to live with her parents, Kate and James Gerardi, who originated from Corleone, Sicily. His father moved to Covina, California, and got hired as an insurance salesman and restaurateur.
Pacino found himself often repeating the plots and voices of characters he had seen in the movies, one of his favorite activities. Bored and unmotivated in school, the young Al Pacino found a haven in school plays, and his interest soon blossomed into a full-time career. Starting on the stage, he went through a lengthy period of depression and poverty, sometimes having to borrow bus fare to make it to auditions. He made it into the prestigious Actors Studio in 1966, studying under legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg, creator of the Method Approach that would become the trademark of many '70s-era actors. After appearing in a string of plays in supporting roles, he finally hit it big with "The Indian Wants the Bronx", winning an Obie award for the 1966-67 season. That was followed by a Tony Award for "Does the Tiger Wear a Necktie?". His first feature films made little departure from the gritty realistic stage performances that earned him respect: he played a junkie in The Panic in Needle Park (1971) after his film debut in Me, Natalie (1969). What came next would change his life forever. The role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972) was one of the most sought-after of the time: Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Ryan O'Neal, Robert De Niro and a host of others either wanted it or were mentioned for it, but director Francis Ford Coppola had his heart set on the unknown Italian Pacino for the role, although pretty much everyone else--from the studio to the producers to some of the cast members--didn't want him. Though Coppola won out through slick persuasion, Pacino was in constant fear of being fired during the hellish shoot. Much to his (and Coppola's) relief, the film was a monster hit that did wonders for everyone's career, including Pacino's, and earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Instead of taking on easier projects for the big money he could now command, however, Pacino threw his support behind what he considered tough but important films, such as the true-life crime drama Serpico (1973) and the tragic real-life bank robbery film Dog Day Afternoon (1975). He opened eyes around the film world for his brave choice of roles, and he was nominated three consecutive years for the "Best Actor" Academy Award. He faltered slightly with Bobby Deerfield (1977), but regained his stride with ...And Justice for All. (1979), for which he received another Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. This would, unfortunately, signal the beginning of a decline in his career, which produced such critical and commercial flops as Cruising (1980) and Author! Author! (1982). He took on another vicious gangster role and cemented his legendary status in the ultra-violent cult hit Scarface (1983),
If the 1980s had been inimical to Pacino's talents, the 1990s turned out to be his most prolific. He delivered an atypical, introspective turn as a low-level gangster in Mike Newell's "Donnie Brasc " (1997), a tremendous story of two men who grow to admire one another. As far removed from Michael Corleone as one can get in the mob food chain, Pacino's world-weary Lefty was tragic and pathetic, but also intensely human and real, inspiring the audience's understanding and sympathy. The always fine Johnny Depp, in the title role, raised his acting level a notch in keeping with the high standards set by his co-star. Pacino returned to his old scenery-chewing tricks as a lawyer who happens to be Satan in "The Devil's Advocate" (also 1997), proving yet again that it can be great fun watching a master pulling out the stops. Pacino toned it down for his next performance - one that depicted him at his intense best - playing rabble-rousing "60 Minutes" producer Lowell Bergman in Michael Mann's "The Insider" (1999), an ambitious and intriguing drama that examined the state of journalism in the age of corporate malfeasance. Pacino closed out the decade in Oliver Stone's "Any Given Sunday" (1999), playing a world-weary professional football coach battling younger players more enamored by money and fame than in playing the game.
Pacino's next major role was as the sleep-deprived Detective Will Dormer in the crime thriller feature "Insomnia" (2002), writer-director Christopher Nolan's English-language remake of Erik Skojdbjaerg's 1997 Norwegian film, costarring Robin Williams and Hilary Swank. While the film received mixed reviews, the actors were roundly praised for their performances. Less appreciated was the Hollywood send-up "Simone" (2002), with Pacino playing a washed-up director who revitalizes his career by secretly creating a digital actress that perfectly executes his every command and becomes a major star. Not only was the movie's fable-style tale wafer-thin, Pacino appeared out at sea with the material, giving one of his least memorable performances. Next up was "The Recruit" (2003) which saw him play a manipulative CIA instructor who recruits a young agent (Colin Farrell) to root out a mole inside The Company. Pacino followed with a supporting role in the dismal Ben Affleck-Jennifer Lopez comedy dud, "Gigli" (2003), reuniting with "Scent of a Woman" director Brest to play a federal prosecutor whose mentally disabled younger brother gets kidnapped.
Pacino rebounded with a stellar turn as Roy Cohn in HBO's acclaimed adaptation of "Angels In America" (2003), a performance that earned him a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made-for-Television and an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie. In 2004, Pacino was able to bring one of his favorite Shakespeare plays to the big screen with director Michael Radford, playing the comically bitter Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice." Although the anti-Semitic overtones of the play made it difficult to perform in modern times, Pacino effectively portrayed the moneylender's claim for his pound of flesh, as driven by a realistic anger over the loss of his daughter to a Christian man. Pacino returned to his scenery-chewing ways in "Two For the Money" (2005), playing Walter Abraham, a sports wagering consultant who takes a former college basketball star (Matthew McConaughey) under his wing after learning that he has a knack for predicting games. After sitting out for much of 2006, sans a rare extensive interview on the long-running series "Inside the Actors Studio" (Bravo, 1995- ), Pacino joined the ensemble cast for "Ocean's 13" (2007), playing a ruthless Las Vegas casino owner whose double-crossing of Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and company leads to his downfall.
Pacino kept a relatively low profile over the next couple of years, choosing to star in lower-budget movies that offered the actor more interesting opportunities. He first starred in "88 Minutes" (2008), a much-maligned thriller in which he played Dr. Jack Gramm, a forensic psychiatrist whose testimony against a convicted serial killer comes under question when new victims pop up on the eve of the convict's execution. With just 88 minutes to live, Gramm hurries to find a copycat killer among a series of suspects. Almost universally panned by critics, the movie also flopped heavily at the box office. He next reteamed with Robert De Niro in "Righteous Kill" (2008), with both playing aging cops trying to hunt down a vigilante serial killer. Once again, Pacino suffered another critical and box office bomb. But the actor recovered nicely from the two debacles with "You Don't Know Jack" (HBO, 2010), a well-received biopic in which he played the notorious Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a pathologist and right-to-die activist who was imprisoned for assisting upwards of 130 terminal patients to die with dignity. For his efforts, Pacino swept the Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards, winning all three trophies for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.
Awards:
1967/68: Obie: Best Actor, The Indian Wants the Bronx
1969: Tony: Best Supporting Actor in a Play, Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
1969: Drama Desk: Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
1969: Theater World: Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
1972: National Board of Review: Best Supporting Actor, The Godfather
1972: National Society of Film Critics: Best Actor, The Godfather
1973: National Board of Review: Best Supporting Actor, Serpico
1973: Golden Globe: Best Actor in a Motion Picture (drama), Serpico
1974: BAFTA: Best Actor, The Godfather, Part II
1975: Los Angeles Film Critics: Best Actor, Dog Day Afternoon
1975: BAFTA: Best Actor, Dog Day Afternoon
1977: Tony: Best Actor in a Play, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel
1992: Golden Globe: Best Actor in a Motion Picture (drama), Scent of a Woman
1992: Oscar: Best Actor, Scent of a Woman
1996: Independent Feature Project: Gotham Award, Lifetime Achievement
1996: Directors Guild of America: Documentary Direction, Looking for Richard
1997: Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Actor, Donnie Brasco
2001: Cecil B. De Mille Lifetime Achievement Award (Presented at Golden Globe Awards 2001)
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