The Role That Nearly Ruined Al Pacino's Career

Al Pacino’s journey to becoming a film legend was filled with early struggles and doubts, as he reveals in his new memoir, Sonny Boy. Reflecting on his first film appearance in the 1969 comedy Me, Natalie, Pacino shares his disappointment and discomfort with the experience, describing it as an early career low point. In his words, he felt he was “disastrous” and disheartened throughout the shoot, despite the kindness of his co-star, Patty Duke.

Pacino recalls showing up extremely early for filming, only to find himself waiting alone for hours. He hadn't slept the night before, the costume was uncomfortable, and he began to question if he wanted to continue with acting at all. His character, Tony, appears briefly to dance with Duke’s character, Natalie, and deliver a few brash lines, including, “You have a nice body, you know that? Listen, do you put out?” Pacino admits that he had no real understanding of the role or the context of his lines. This short scene became his first film credit, though he later looked back on it with embarrassment.

Interestingly, Pacino mentions that it wasn’t Tony’s sleazy demeanor that bothered him, but rather his own naivete and lack of confidence in screen acting. His self-doubt left him feeling out of place and uncertain about his work.

Later in Sonny Boy, Pacino reflects on his approach to challenging roles, such as his groundbreaking character in Dog Day Afternoon. He explains that, to him, acting has always been about bringing authenticity to a role, rather than having personal views about the character’s traits. He writes, “This is just who I am and always was. I look at a situation and say, what am I doing here? And it seems to not matter where it is, what situation I'm in, I want to leave.”

Pacino’s perseverance on Me, Natalie eventually led to bigger roles, including a starring part in The Panic in Needle Park two years later, which opened doors to iconic roles in The Godfather, Serpico, and Dog Day Afternoon. This difficult start ultimately launched Pacino’s journey to becoming a cinematic icon.