How Diane Keaton helped Al Pacino gain Godfather role

Diane Keaton has revealed how the producers of The Godfather were against casting Al Pacino in the role of Michael Corleone.

The Godfather is considered one of the greatest movies of all time and launched Pacino into superstardom as he received critical acclaim for his performance as Corleone, who is groomed to become the head of his crime family by his father Vito, played by Marlon Brando.

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In the eyes of many, Pacino was born to play Michael in The Godfather trilogy.

But Keaton, who played his wife Kay Adams in the trilogy, has suggested it was only after producers saw the chemistry between herself and Pacino that they brought him on to play Michael.

"I auditioned for The Godfather having never read it and I knew nothing about it, and just was there, I was standing there like every other woman," she explained to Entertainment Tonight.

"I didn't know what the hell I was there for. And they cast me in that role!

"Nobody wanted Al Pacino. They didn't want him to play that part, and I had already been cast. I had been cast before Al Pacino in Godfather 1! Is this not weird?

"So I was standing there and they brought him up when I was standing there and we worked together in front of , and they gave him the job. Do you believe that? After he had auditioned before and they didn't want him.

"What would The Godfather have been without Al Pacino?" she added. "It's just one of those weird, unusual things in life."

Who nearly played Michael Corleone in The Godfather?

Various Hollywood legends were linked with the role of Michael, including Warren Beatty, Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Ryan O'Neal, Dustin Hoffman, Martin Sheen and Burt Reynolds.

James Caan also auditioned, though he would be cast in the role of Sonny, Michael's brother.

Francis Ford Coppolla eventually campaigned for Pacino as well as for Brando to play Vito Corleone.