Diane Keaton Revealed Why Al Pacino Almost Missed Out On 'The Godfather'

Film icon Diane Keaton recently spoke with ET before the release of her new film, "Mack & Rita," and briefly reflected on her long and iconic film career. One of Keaton's milestones was "The Godfather," which launched her into stardom.

One of the things in "The Godfather" that made the film so famous was the quality acting, especially one particular actor, Al Pacino. It is almost impossible to imagine what the movie would be like without Pacino, but according to Keaton, it almost happened.

The actress spoke about how nobody wanted Pacino for the role and explained how he ended up in the film. One interesting fact is that Keaton and Pacino also grew incredibly close during filming and almost ended up together.

Read on to find out more.

During the interview, Keaton revealed that Pacino wasn't at the top of the list of actors for the role of Michael Corleone. He wasn't even the casting director's first choice and failed to get past his first audition.

Keaton said, "Nobody wanted Al Pacino. They didn't want him to play that part, and I had already been cast." The directors had cast other roles while searching for a better actor to portray Corleone, the reluctant heir to the Corleone mafia.

Keaton also explained to ET that she found it weird that filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola had not originally centered the film around Pacino, whom she saw as the perfect fit for the role. She said, "What would 'The Godfather' have been without Al Pacino? It's just one of those weird, unusual things in life."

Keaton also revealed she was present when Pacino finally got the job at his second audition. She said, "So I was standing there and they brought him up when I was standing there and we worked together in front of [the producers], and they gave him the job. Do you believe that? After he had auditioned before and they didn't want him."

And Pacino certainly didn't disappoint. His performance was so outstanding that even decades later, many still first associate his name with "The Godfather" before any other film or project. The actor also earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in 1973 for his performance.

"The Godfather" itself was a huge success when it premiered in March 1972. The film earned over $250 million and was the year's highest-grossing film. It also became the highest-grossing film ever and remained at the top for a while.

During the interview with ET, Keaton also shared her own audition experience for "The Godfather." In the film, she plays the role of Kay Adams, a docile teacher who falls in love with Corleone before realizing that he is doomed to the fate of his criminal family.

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

When they worked on "The Godfather," Pacino and Keaton were relatively unknown in the film industry. They met on the film's set, and their time working together eventually lit a spark between them. Their onscreen chemistry was real, and they quickly fell for each other.

In 2017, she told People magazine that she was "mad for Pacino. Charming, hilarious, a nonstop talker. There was an aspect of him that was like a lost orphan, like this kind of crazy idiot savant. And oh, gorgeous!" Despite their chemistry, the two didn't become a couple after they finished filming for "The Godfather II."

In her memoir, "Then Again," Keaton wrote about their time together, saying, "For me, the Godfathers, all three of them, were about one thing — Al. It was as simple as that." When she spoke about their relationship to People, Keaton explained that she had wanted marriage and a family, and he hadn't, so they broke up."

Despite their romantic ties, Pacino and Keaton have remained good friends. In 2017, Keaton won the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award, and Pacino gave her a touching tribute. He spoke about how much he treasures her in his life and appreciates her friendship.