Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Al Pacino

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Al Pacino

Discover the career path of Al Pacino, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Al Pacino is a highly acclaimed American actor celebrated for his powerful and intense performances across stage and screen. With a career spanning over five decades, he is considered one of the greatest actors of all time. Pacino has achieved the Triple Crown of Acting, winning an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards. He has also garnered numerous other prestigious awards, including Golden Globe Awards, a BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has been honored with lifetime achievement awards such as the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors.

1991: Starred in Frankie and Johnny

In 1991, Al Pacino starred in Frankie and Johnny alongside Michelle Pfeiffer. Pacino played a recently paroled cook who begins a relationship with Pfeiffer's character, a waitress. The movie received mixed reviews.

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1992: Won Academy Award for Scent of a Woman

In 1992, Al Pacino played the irascible, blind U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Martin Brest's Scent of a Woman. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor the next year for his portrayal of the character. He was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Glengarry Glen Ross, making Pacino the first male actor ever to receive two acting nominations for two movies in the same year, and to win for the lead role.

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1993: Starred in Carlito's Way

In 1993, Al Pacino starred alongside Sean Penn in the crime drama Carlito's Way, playing Carlito Brigante, a gangster released from prison.

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1995: Starred in Heat with Robert De Niro

In 1995, Al Pacino starred in Michael Mann's Heat, marking the first time he and Robert De Niro appeared on-screen together, even though they were both in The Godfather Part II but did not share scenes.

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1996: Starred in Looking for Richard

In 1996, Al Pacino starred in his theatrical docudrama Looking for Richard, which featured selected scenes of William Shakespeare's Richard III and explored Shakespeare's role in popular culture. Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, and Winona Ryder were also in the cast.

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1997: Played Satan in The Devil's Advocate and Lefty in Donnie Brasco

In 1997, Al Pacino played Satan in The Devil's Advocate, a supernatural thriller with Keanu Reeves. Also in 1997, Pacino played gangster "Lefty" in Donnie Brasco, based on the true story of an undercover FBI agent infiltrating the Mafia.

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1999: Starred in The Insider and Any Given Sunday

In 1999, Al Pacino starred as Lowell Bergman in the multi-Oscar nominated The Insider, and also starred in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday.

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2000: Starred in Chinese Coffee

In 2000, Al Pacino starred alongside Jerry Orbach in Chinese Coffee, a low-budget film adaptation of Ira Lewis' play. He funded the project himself, and it took almost three years to complete.

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October 2002: Starred in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui

In October 2002, Al Pacino starred in Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui for the National Actor's Theater and Complicite. The production, directed by Simon McBurney, was a critical success.

2002: Starred in People I Know

In 2002, Al Pacino played a publicist in People I Know, a small film that received little attention. He also accepted a small part in the critical and box office flop Gigli as a favor to director Martin Brest.

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2003: Starred in Angels in America

In 2003, Al Pacino starred in Angels in America. In February 2020 he acted in Hunters, marking his first television series role since Angels in America.

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2003: Starred in The Recruit and Angels in America

In 2003, Al Pacino starred in The Recruit as a CIA recruiter. Also in 2003, he starred as lawyer Roy Cohn in the HBO miniseries Angels in America.

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2004: Starred in The Merchant of Venice

In 2004, Al Pacino starred as Shylock in Michael Radford's film adaptation of The Merchant of Venice, receiving praise for his portrayal of the character.

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October 8, 2005: Two for the Money Released

On October 8, 2005, Two for the Money, starring Al Pacino as a sports gambling agent and mentor, was released to mixed reviews.

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2006: Turned down The Godfather Game

In 2006, Al Pacino turned down an offer to reprise his role as Michael Corleone in the computer game version of The Godfather, leading Electronic Arts to not use his likeness or voice in the game. However, he allowed his likeness to be used in Scarface: The World is Yours.

2007: Starred in Ocean's Thirteen

In 2007, Al Pacino starred as the villain Willy Bank in Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Thirteen.

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September 12, 2008: Righteous Kill Released

On September 12, 2008, Righteous Kill, co-starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, was released to theaters. The film was not well received by critics.

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April 2010: Starred in You Don't Know Jack

In April 2010, Al Pacino played Jack Kevorkian in the HBO Films biopic You Don't Know Jack, which premiered in April 2010. Later in 2010, Pacino returned to the stage in the summer of 2010, playing Shylock in the Shakespeare in the Park production, The Merchant of Venice.

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2011: Co-starred in Jack and Jill

In 2011, Al Pacino co-starred as himself in the comedy film Jack and Jill, which was panned by critics, and for which Pacino "won" the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor.

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March 21, 2012: US Premiere of Wilde Salomé

On the evening of March 21, 2012, Wilde Salomé, written, directed by and starring Pacino, had its US premiere at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco.

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September 2012: Announced to Play Joe Paterno in Television Film

In September 2012, it was announced that Al Pacino would play Joe Paterno in the television film Paterno.

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October 2012: Starred in Glengarry Glen Ross Revival

In October 2012, Al Pacino starred in the 30th-anniversary Broadway revival of David Mamet's play, Glengarry Glen Ross.

2013: Starred in Phil Spector

In 2013, Al Pacino starred in Phil Spector, an HBO biographical picture about record producer Phil Spector's murder trial.

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December 5, 2015: China Doll opened on Broadway

On December 5, 2015, China Doll, a play written for Al Pacino by David Mamet, opened on Broadway.

2015: Starred in Danny Collins

In 2015, Al Pacino starred in the comedy-drama Danny Collins, for which he garnered a Golden Globe nomination.

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April 7, 2018: Paterno Premiered on HBO

On April 7, 2018, Paterno, starring Al Pacino, premiered on HBO.

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July 26, 2019: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Released

On July 26, 2019, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starring Al Pacino, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio, was released.

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February 2020: Starred in Amazon Prime Video's Hunters

In February 2020, Al Pacino starred as Meyer Offerman in the Amazon Prime Video series Hunters, marking his first television series role since Angels in America (2003).

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2021: Starred in House of Gucci and American Traitor

In 2021, Al Pacino played Aldo Gucci in Ridley Scott's House of Gucci. That same year, he played the lead defense attorney in American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally.

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September 2023: Commencement of Principal Photography for Modì

In September 2023, principal photography commenced for Modì, a film about Amedeo Modigliani co-produced by Al Pacino.