Latest news with #AmericanZoetrope
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Al Pacino recalls turning down 'Star Wars' says, 'I don't get it': 'They offered me a fortune'
Academy Award winner recalled turning down the 'Star Wars' role and shared why he was reluctant to be part of the popular franchise. "I said, 'I think I'm in the mood to make Harrison Ford a career,'" shared Pacino, recalling a visit with Francis Ford Coppola at his and George Lucas' San Francisco-based production company headquarters for American Zoetrope, reported Deadline. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "They were in the late-'60s making this. They were real idealists coming into the '70s with great films all over the globe," he said, adding, "So, it was a wonderful place that I actually saw, I went to the building and everything before I did Godfather with them." Recalling the reason behind his reluctance, Pacino said, "So I loved their work, but I was doing a show on Broadway at the time, and they handed me this script, and I thought, I don't understand. I thought I must be out of space myself. But I looked at this thing and I sent it to Charlie Loughton, my friend and mentor, actually. I said, 'What do you make of this?' He was pretty wise and he said, 'I don't get it, Al. I dunno. I don't get it. ' I said, 'Well, I don't either; what are we going to do? They offered me a fortune, but I don't know. No, I can't play something if I don't speak the language," reported Deadline. Meanwhile, Al Pacino is set to star in the upcoming hostage thriller 'Dead Man's Wire,' directed by Academy Award nominee . According to Deadline, the film is based on the true story of a gripping hostage situation that captivated the world in 1977. Austin Kolodney penned the screenplay for Dead Man's Wire, and the film already boasts an impressive ensemble cast. Bill Skarsgard, Dacre Montgomery, Myha'la, Cary Elwes, and Colman Domingo, all of whom were previously announced, will join Pacino in the thriller. The plot of 'Dead Man's Wire' is based on the real-life events of February 8, 1977, when Anthony G "Tony" Kiritsis, a 44-year-old man, entered the office of Richard O. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Hall, the president of Meridian Mortgage Company, and took him hostage. Armed with a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun wired to his own neck by a "dead man's wire," Tony demanded USD 5 million, immunity from charges, and a personal apology from the Hall family for cheating him out of money he believed was owed to him. This high-stakes standoff will be brought to life on screen by Van Sant, known for his previous work on films such as 'Good Will Hunting' and 'Milk'.This marks the first collaboration between Pacino and Van Sant. Pacino, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in 'Scent of a Woman', most recently appeared in 'Knox Goes Away'.
Economic Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Al Pacino recalls turning down ‘Star Wars' role, reveals why he said no
Al Pacino revealed he turned down a role in 'Star Wars' due to his inability to understand the script, humorously stating he might make Harrison Ford's career. He was offered a fortune but couldn't commit without grasping the material. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Pacino to Star in Hostage Thriller 'Dead Man's Wire' Academy Award winner Al Pacino recently opened up about turning down a role in Star Wars and explained why he was hesitant to join the now-iconic franchise.'I said, 'I think I'm in the mood to make Harrison Ford a career,'' Pacino joked, recalling a visit to the San Francisco headquarters of American Zoetrope—the production company founded by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas—according to Deadline.'They were making this in the late '60s. They were real idealists coming into the '70s, with great films being made all over the world,' Pacino said. 'It was a wonderful place—I actually visited the building before I did The Godfather with them.'As for why he passed on Star Wars, Pacino admitted the script didn't click with him.'I loved their work, but I was doing a Broadway show at the time, and they handed me this script. I didn't understand it. I thought I must be out of space myself,' he said. 'So I sent it to my friend and mentor, Charlie Loughton. I asked, 'What do you make of this?' He was pretty wise and said, 'I don't get it, Al. I don't know.' And I said, 'Well, I don't either—what are we going to do?' They offered me a fortune, but I just couldn't do it. I can't play something if I don't speak the language.'Meanwhile, Pacino is set to headline the upcoming hostage thriller Dead Man's Wire, directed by Academy Award nominee Gus Van to Deadline, the film is based on the true story of a harrowing 1977 hostage situation that gripped the world. The screenplay, written by Austin Kolodney, features a star-studded cast including Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Myha'la, Cary Elwes, and Colman plot centers on events from February 8, 1977, when Anthony G. 'Tony' Kiritsis, a 44-year-old man, stormed into the office of Richard O. Hall, president of Meridian Mortgage Company, and took him a sawed-off shotgun rigged to his own neck with a 'dead man's wire,' Tony demanded $5 million, immunity from prosecution, and a personal apology from the Hall family, whom he accused of cheating him out of Sant—best known for Good Will Hunting and Milk—will bring the tense standoff to the screen in what will be his first collaboration with who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Scent of a Woman, was last seen in Knox Goes Away.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Al Pacino recalls turning down ‘Star Wars' role, reveals why he said no
Academy Award winner Al Pacino recently opened up about turning down a role in Star Wars and explained why he was hesitant to join the now-iconic franchise. 'I said, 'I think I'm in the mood to make Harrison Ford a career,'' Pacino joked, recalling a visit to the San Francisco headquarters of American Zoetrope—the production company founded by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas—according to Deadline. 'They were making this in the late '60s. They were real idealists coming into the '70s, with great films being made all over the world,' Pacino said. 'It was a wonderful place—I actually visited the building before I did The Godfather with them.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo As for why he passed on Star Wars, Pacino admitted the script didn't click with him. 'I loved their work, but I was doing a Broadway show at the time, and they handed me this script. I didn't understand it. I thought I must be out of space myself,' he said. 'So I sent it to my friend and mentor, Charlie Loughton. I asked, 'What do you make of this?' He was pretty wise and said, 'I don't get it, Al. I don't know.' And I said, 'Well, I don't either—what are we going to do?' They offered me a fortune, but I just couldn't do it. I can't play something if I don't speak the language.' Live Events Pacino to Star in Hostage Thriller 'Dead Man's Wire' Meanwhile, Pacino is set to headline the upcoming hostage thriller Dead Man's Wire, directed by Academy Award nominee Gus Van Sant. According to Deadline, the film is based on the true story of a harrowing 1977 hostage situation that gripped the world. The screenplay, written by Austin Kolodney, features a star-studded cast including Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Myha'la, Cary Elwes, and Colman Domingo. The plot centers on events from February 8, 1977, when Anthony G. 'Tony' Kiritsis, a 44-year-old man, stormed into the office of Richard O. Hall, president of Meridian Mortgage Company, and took him hostage. Wielding a sawed-off shotgun rigged to his own neck with a 'dead man's wire,' Tony demanded $5 million, immunity from prosecution, and a personal apology from the Hall family, whom he accused of cheating him out of money. Van Sant—best known for Good Will Hunting and Milk—will bring the tense standoff to the screen in what will be his first collaboration with Pacino. Pacino, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Scent of a Woman, was last seen in Knox Goes Away.
Asharq Al-Awsat
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Spielberg, De Niro, Freeman Praise Francis Ford Coppola as He Accepts the AFI Life Achievement Award
Steven Spielberg proclaimed 'The Godfather' the 'greatest American film ever made,' Robert De Niro teasingly bemoaned being cast in the sequel and not the original and Harrison Ford fought back tears reflecting on his role in the 1974 film, 'The Conversation.' At the center of it all was Francis Ford Coppola, who on Saturday received the AFI Life Achievement Award at a ceremony at Dolby Theatre that brought together legendary stars from a seemingly bygone era of cinema, A founding AFI trustee, Coppola's recognition from the organization was a kind of full circle moment for the 'Apocalypse Now' director. 'When I was a kid there was the Oscars and that was it. Now they're going to have an award show for the best award show,' the 86-year-old said on the red carpet ahead of the show. 'But this is a little different because it's a personal recognition of the people that you've known all your life and your colleagues over many years, so it's like a homecoming in a way.' 'You, sir, are peerless. You have taken what came before and redefined the canon of American film,' Spielberg said. Coppola sat between Spielberg and George Lucas, as actors and fellow filmmakers like Spike Lee, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino and Morgan Freeman took turns gushing over the Oscar winner. 'Dreamer of dreams on a dime, teller of tales that cost and lost millions. But tonight, (expletive) the bankers and the bank,' Freeman said to laughs and cheers. Lucas, Coppola's longtime friend and colleague, presented him with the award. The pair have known each other for decades and cofounded their own production company, American Zoetrope, in 1969. 'You rounded up a bunch of young film students, gathered us together. We moved to San Francisco, hoping to beat the system. And we did. Like the filmmakers from the dawn of the art form, we had no rules. We wrote them, and you were holding the pen,' Lucas said. Coppola was mostly stoic throughout the ceremony as Hollywood sang his praises — until he accepted the award at the end of the night. He beamed as he approached the stage and thanked the room, which was filled with some of his family members as well as multigenerational A-listers. 'Now I understand here, this place that created me, my home, isn't really a place at all, but you — friends, colleagues, teachers, playmates, family, neighbors, all the beautiful faces are welcoming me back,' he said. 'I am and will always be nothing more than one of you.' Coppola was the 50th recipient of the award first handed out to John Ford in 1973. Guests were served wine from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery and after dinner — true to his Italian heritage — a trio of cannolis. Actors who have worked with Coppola painted a unified picture of him as a director, reminiscing on how they were invited to participate and educated about film in a way that empowered them. 'He's very professorial. He talks about history and things and even older movies in the scene he's inspired by,' said 'The Godfather III' star Andy Garcia. 'You go into working with him in a movie, and you go in seeking an associate's degree and you would walk out with a master's.' Coppola last year released his long-in development 'Megalopolis,' a Roman epic set in a modern New York. The film drew mixed reviews from critics and flopped with audiences. Coppola, though, has maintained he was compelled to make 'Megalopolis' as an artist, not as a businessman. He self-financed the film. 'For a year in our culture when the importance of the arts is minimized, and our industry is seemingly out in the open that the only metric to judge a film's success is by how much money it makes, I hang on to individuals like Francis for inspiration, who live through their convictions,' said Adam Driver, who starred in the film. Last year's AFI honoree was Nicole Kidman. Other recent recipients include John Williams, Mel Brooks, Denzel Washington and Julie Andrews.
Gulf Today
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Francis Ford Coppola receives AFI Life Achievement Award
Steven Spielberg proclaimed 'The Godfather' the 'greatest American film ever made,' Robert De Niro teasingly bemoaned being cast in the sequel and not the original and Harrison Ford fought back tears reflecting on his role in the 1974 film, 'The Conversation.' At the centre of it all was Francis Ford Coppola, who on Saturday received the AFI Life Achievement Award at a ceremony at Dolby Theatre that brought together legendary stars from a seemingly bygone era of cinema, A founding AFI trustee, Coppola's recognition from the organization was a kind of full circle moment for the 'Apocalypse Now' director. 'When I was a kid there was the Oscars and that was it. Now they're going to have an award show for the best award show,' the 86-year-old said on the red carpet ahead of the show. 'But this is a little different because it's a personal recognition of the people that you've known all your life and your colleagues over many years, so it's like a homecoming in a way.' 'You, sir, are peerless. You have taken what came before and redefined the canon of American film,' Spielberg said. Coppola sat between Spielberg and George Lucas, as actors and fellow filmmakers like Spike Lee, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino and Morgan Freeman took turns gushing over the Oscar winner. 'Dreamer of dreams on a dime, teller of tales that cost and lost millions. But tonight, (expletive) the bankers and the bank,' Freeman said to laughs and cheers. Lucas, Coppola's longtime friend and colleague, presented him with the award. The pair have known each other for decades and cofounded their own production company, American Zoetrope, in 1969. 'You rounded up a bunch of young film students, gathered us together. We moved to San Francisco, hoping to beat the system. And we did. Like the filmmakers from the dawn of the art form, we had no rules. We wrote them, and you were holding the pen,' Lucas said. Coppola was mostly stoic throughout the ceremony as Hollywood sang his praises — until he accepted the award at the end of the night. He beamed as he approached the stage and thanked the room, which was filled with some of his family members as well as multigenerational A-listers. 'Now I understand here, this place that created me, my home, isn't really a place at all, but you — friends, colleagues, teachers, playmates, family, neighbours, all the beautiful faces are welcoming me back,' he said. 'I am and will always be nothing more than one of you.' Coppola was the 50th recipient of the award first handed out to John Ford in 1973. Guests were served wine from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery and after dinner — true to his Italian heritage — a trio of cannolis. Actors who have worked with Coppola painted a unified picture of him as a director, reminiscing on how they were invited to participate and educated about film in a way that empowered them. 'He's very professorial. He talks about history and things and even older movies in the scene he's inspired by,' said 'The Godfather III' star Andy Garcia. 'You go into working with him in a movie, and you go in seeking an associate's degree and you would walk out with a master's.' Coppola last year released his long-in development 'Megalopolis,' a Roman epic set in a modern New York. The film drew mixed reviews from critics and flopped with audiences. Coppola, though, has maintained he was compelled to make 'Megalopolis' as an artist, not as a businessman. He self-financed the film. 'For a year in our culture when the importance of the arts is minimized, and our industry is seemingly out in the open that the only metric to judge a film's success is by how much money it makes, I hang on to individuals like Francis for inspiration, who live through their convictions,' said Adam Driver, who starred in the film. Last year's AFI honoree was Nicole Kidman. Other recent recipients include John Williams, Mel Brooks, Denzel Washington and Julie Andrews. Associated Press
