The Godfather Cast Guide: Where Are They Now
The Godfather trilogy is a truly iconic film series, and part of its universal acclaim comes from The Godfather cast being made of all-star Hollywood actors and amazing newcomers. The mobster movie franchise is about the rise and fall of war-hero-turned-evil-gangster Michael Corleone, and it’s an endlessly captivating crime drama that’s had an influence on cinema for more than half a century. The first Godfather movie was released in 1972 and put writer-director Francis Ford Coppola on the map, The Godfather Part II was released in 1974 and is as good as, if not better than, the original, and the legacy sequel The Godfather Part III was released in 1990.
The franchise continues to have a significant legacy, with The Offer, a drama series about the true story behind the making of The Godfather, released on television in 2022. The trilogy has received tons of accolades, and even The Godfather Part III, which didn’t have the greatest reception, was nominated for seven Academy Awards. In total, the franchise won seven Oscars, and only two were for acting, which comes as a surprise given how stacked The Godfather cast is compared to almost any other film series.
Al Pacino As Michael Corleone
Al Pacino plays Michael Corleone, the heart of The Godfather cast. Michael is introduced as a war hero in the opening act of the first movie, becomes an evil mobster blinded by power in the second movie, and dies alone as a regretful old man in the final movie. Michael was the actor’s breakthrough role, but Pacino’s Godfather casting was controversial at the time because he was an unknown leading an expensive production.
The risk paid off, and he’s one of only a few actors to ever be nominated for two Oscars for playing the same character, and he went on to win an Oscar for his performance in the 1993 film Scent of a Woman. Pacino has starred in tons of crime movies and appeared in the recent films Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Irishman, and House of Gucci.
Marlon Brando As Vito Corleone
Portrayed by Marlon Brando in The Godfather cast, Vito Corleone is introduced in as the mellow but firm head of his family. While he’s no better than other criminals, he has morals, as he refuses to go into the drug business, which is what causes a feud with the Tattaglia family. The character isn’t murdered, but he dies from a heart attack midway through The Godfather.
Brando was already an Oscar winner for his role in On the Waterfront when he took on the role of Vito, and his performance as Vito won him the Oscar for Best Actor in 1973, though he declined the award. The famous actor died in 2004, and his final film role was the 2001 film The Score where he famously acted alongside Robert De Niro for the first time.