Al Pacino’s Grueling Godfather Role That Sent Him to the Hospital

Acting may come with fame and fortune, but it can also demand everything from those who pursue it. For Al Pacino, stepping into the shoes of Michael Corleone in the 1970s was a turning point that tested his limits. With only two films under his belt—Me, Natalie and The Panic in Needle Park—Pacino was thrust into the spotlight alongside Marlon Brando in The Godfather. Director Francis Ford Coppola saw something special in the young actor, trusting him with a role that would define his career. Pacino’s portrayal became so iconic that it’s hard to imagine anyone else as Michael, a role he would revisit in the 1974 and 1990 sequels.

Unrelenting Pressure and the Cost of Perfection

While the role brought Pacino immense recognition, it also came at a steep personal cost. The pressure to deliver a flawless performance weighed heavily on him. Stress is often brushed aside as just part of the job, but Pacino’s experience proved how dangerous it can be to ignore the warning signs. During the filming of the sequel, he pushed himself so hard that he ended up in the hospital with bronchial pneumonia. In an interview with Leonard Probst, Pacino recalled,

“It was frightening.”

He went on to explain,

“This had to do with a combination of nervous exhaustion and my own need to get away, to pull out. I’m not very fond of doing films – it’s wear and tear on me.”

The emotional toll of playing Michael was immense. Pacino described the experience as overwhelming, saying,

“Drove me crazy. Drove me crazy. Godfather Two put me in the hospital. It was doing this character, the loneliness of him. I couldn’t be that guy and have a good time. I wanted to have stuff inside. We were working 20 weeks on that film. I was living with that weight all the time, and it was suffocating; it was hurting. In film, it’s much more difficult, especially Michael Corleone. It’s a film performance, it’s a character done on film.”

The Lasting Impact of a Legendary Role

Despite being nominated for Academy Awards for both The Godfather and its sequel, Pacino never took home the Oscar for either. Still, his work as Michael Corleone remains legendary. For many, he is the face of the Corleone family, the youngest son who steps into his father’s shoes as the head of the family business. The success and acclaim he earned came with a price, but as Pacino has grown older, he’s learned the importance of self-care. Reflecting on his journey, he shared,

“The more experienced you become, the more aware you become, you start taking less and less out on your own experience, I think. Jimmy Dean did it to a great extent. He was very young, and it hurt him.”