Al Pacino – The Godfather (1972)
Arguably the most celebrated film in cinematic history, this film set Al Pacino on his way to becoming one of the all-time greats. The film follows Michael, the son of New York Mafia king Vito Corleone, as he is reluctantly given a place in his family’s business. With tragedy and drama plaguing the Corleones, Michael is faced with the hardship of protecting his family and the business. It’s known that Martin Sheen was the studio’s preferred choice to take the role, as he was already a big name, but director Francis Ford Coppola demanded Pacino get the part, and the rest his history. After his stellar breakout performance in this role, Pacino would go on to reprise Michael in the following two films in the series. Since then he’s continued to impress in countless other films in his filmography, having earned seven Oscar nominations and one win.
