Al Pacino’s casting in director Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece, The Godfather was almost “unbelievable” for the Hollywood legend.

The star, taking to his new memoir Sonny Boy, detailed on what he felt being casted in one of his most famous roles of Michael Corleone in Coppola’s classic crime hit, based on the Mario Puzo novel of the same title.

Pacino wasn’t the name the studio considered first to cast in the role of Michael, the son of mob boss Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), but Coppola had other plans.

In his memoir, Pacino recalled being casted in the movie that became an Oscar-winning classic, pulled two sequels and is still considered a benchmark for great movies.

“My relationship with the director who would change my life began oddly. Francis Ford Coppola had seen me on Broadway, and wanted to meet with me about a role. So I flew to San Francisco and for the next five days and nights, he took me to dinner and we talked about his film project over bottles of wine,” the star wrote in his memoir, as per text shared by People.

“I thought Francis had been touched by genius. He was a leader, a doer, and a risk-taker.”

He further penned, “But I was an unknown, and the movie that Francis wanted to do with me got turned down everywhere. And I didn’t think I’d ever hear from him again. Months went by, and then one day, I got a phone call. On the other end of the line was Francis Coppola.”

“First he told me he was going to be directing The Godfather,” Pacino added. “I thought he might be fantasising. I had read Mario Puzo’s novel, which had become a big hit; it was a huge deal for anyone to be involved with it. Then Francis said he wanted me to play Michael Corleone.”

“I started doubting whether he was on the phone at all. Maybe I was the one going through a nervous breakdown. For a director to offer you a role, over the phone, not through an agent, and this role of all roles — that was a hundred-million-to-one shot,” the 84-year-old seemed to reminisce.

“I didn’t even think of it as a shot, because I didn’t believe it. Who was I, to have this fall into my lap?”

He continued, “When I finally hung up the phone with Francis, I was kind of in a daze. Paramount didn’t want me to play Michael Corleone. They wanted Jack Nicholson. They wanted Robert Redford. They wanted Warren Beatty or Ryan O’Neal. In the book, Puzo had Michael calling himself ‘the sissy of the Corleone family.’”

“He was supposed to be small, dark-haired, handsome in a delicate way, no visible threat to anybody. That didn’t sound like the guys that the studio wanted. But that didn’t mean it had to be me.”

Pacino further described that at the time, “Paramount had already rejected Jimmy Caan and Bob Duvall. They rejected Brando, for Christ’s sake.”

“It was quite clear that they didn’t want me either. But here’s the secret: Francis wanted me and I knew that. And there’s nothing like when a director wants you.”

The multiple award winner also shared who he went to first to share the news.

He recalled, “When I knew I had the role, I called my grandmother to tell her. ‘You know I’m going to be in The Godfather? I’m going to play the part of Michael Corleone.’ She said, ‘Oh, Sonny, listen! Granddad was born in Corleone. That’s where he’s from.’”

Pacino didn’t know where his “grandfather was born, only that he came from Sicily”. Learning about his Corleone origins, he “thought” of his grandfather who could “help” him in preparing for the role.

Bill Maher and Al Pacino’s ex Noor Alfallah seem to be acquitted for some time now.

According to a source via People, Al Pacino’s ex-girlfriend, Noor Alfallah, 30, and comedian Bill Maher, 68, have been spotted together on multiple occasions, most recently leaving the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on October 5.

The insider revealed that while the pair have gone on several dates, things are still in the early stages.

A separate source shared that Alfallah, a film producer, is currently just “friends” with the Real Time with Bill Maher host. Neither Alfallah nor Maher’s representatives have responded to requests for comment.

Earlier this week, Al Pacino clarified his relationship status, saying that he is not currently romantically involved with anyone. “I have friendship,” said the 84-year-old actor.

Pacino and Noor Alfallah, who were first linked in April 2022, share a son, Roman, born in June 2023.

As speculation swirls about Alfallah’s connection with Bill Maher, she took to Instagram on October 8 to share a post that included a selfie with Pacino and actor Jeremy Strong.

The post also featured a clip from Real Time with Bill Maher in which the comedian discussed The Apprentice, a film Alfallah worked on as an executive producer alongside Strong and Sebastian Stan.

Travis Kelce didn’t propose to Taylor Swift, and the power couple is not engaged, contrary to the rumours swirling over the internet.

Speculation has been swirling about a possible engagement between the Chiefs’ standout player, 35, and the Fortnight singer, 34.

However, People confirmed the news to be false.

The rumours gained momentum after former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman hinted on the Pardon My Take podcast that the high-profile pair “might” be taking the next step toward marriage.

“Someone actually reached out to me today and said they might actually be engaged,” Aikman said during the conversation, only a day after he called Swift Kelce’s “missus” by mistake, in an appearance on the Monday Night Football broadcast on Oct. 7.

The mix-up occurred during Monday’s game at Arrowhead Stadium, where cameras captured the superstar cheering on Travis Kelce as the Chiefs secured a 26-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Taylor Swift was seen celebrating a key play alongside Kelce’s parents, Donna and Ed, as well as her father, Scott Swift, when Aikman mistakenly commented on the couple’s relationship status.

Sofia Vergara wasn’t too impressed by Adam DeVine’s improv on Modern Family.

In a recent interview with People Magazine, the Pitch Perfect alum recalled when he first joined the cast in season 5, the creators encouraged him to improvise to keep things fresh. But his attempt to go off-script with Sofia Vergara didn’t quite go as planned.

“It was the first scene, I go in and I improv a little something with Sofia Vergara,” DeVine, 40, recalled. “I remember she just had a blank [expression] and looked over to the producer village where all the producers sit and she just goes, ‘What?’ She was so confused by what the hell I was doing because it wasn’t part of the script.”

After that, he was kindly asked to stick to the script.

“Steve Levitan, one of the creators, came over and said, ‘Remember when we said you could improv? Let’s not do that anymore,’” he added with a grin.

Despite the mishap, DeVine cherished his time on the show, especially his close friendship with co-star Sarah Hyland, who played his on-screen love interest.

“She’s a good friend,” DeVine shared, noting they frequently stay in touch. “I’ll throw a party every fourth of July, and she comes to those, and we go to each other’s birthday parties when we’re in town,” he revealed.

The actor also worked with Hyland on Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin and affectionately referred to her as his “work wife,” alongside Rebel Wilson.