10 Movie Roles Originally Intended For Other Actors
3. Jack Nicholson – Michael Corleone In The Godfather
Al Pacino's storied career spans more than 60 years, but he didn't hit the road to superstardom until he was cast as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather in 1972. That role launched him into the Hollywood Elite, and while he's played some seriously iconic roles since, Michael Corleone is probably his best-known work.
Given his portrayal of the character in the two sequels, and how closely associated Pacino is with the role, it's hard to imagine someone else playing it, but it's on this list, so you know what's coming...
Jack Nicholson was the leading man targeted first for the role of Michael Corleone, which isn't all that surprising. He had a lot of star power at that point in his career, but when the studio came calling with the offer, he immediately turned it down.
Paramount believed The Godfather to be a risky project, which was why they wanted an established actor to take on the role. After Nicholson passed, they then went to Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty, and Ryan O'Neal, all of whom passed. Eventually, they landed on Al Pacino who delivered one of the greatest performances in the history of film.