9 Terrible Casting Decisions That Ruined Great Movies
4. Sofia Coppola - The Godfather: Part III
A decision so infamous people still laugh about it, the casting of Sofia Coppola in The Godfather Part III might not be the films only issue, but it's definitely the biggest. Winona Ryder was originally set to play the role of Michael Corleones daughter, but had to drop out suddenly. Young Sofia was wheeled in to replace her and to put it nicely - she wasn't much of an actress, and putting her in such a key role, complete with lots of emotional scenes, was a recipe for disaster.
She's hopelessly stilted from her first scene on, and she jars particularly badly with Andy Garcia, the other newcomer to the cast who provides Part III with some much-needed energy. He's vibrant and alive in every scene, shes just kind of there. Part III gets a bad rep, especially when compared to the first two movies, but it's ultimately the sad story of a man haunted by his past sins, and praying his loved ones don't pay for them.
When Michael's daughter dies in his place it should be a heartbreaking moment; instead, it's just relief Sofia Coppola is finally out of the movie.