Victim of a $50 million scam, Al Pacino tells everything in his autobiography

With 87 films to his credit, cinema legend Al Pacino, now 84 years old, recounts his 50-year career in his recent biography. We discover a cinema enthusiast who has experienced, in addition to glory, his share of trials.

From the outset, when reading his autobiography, we must recognize that the famous actor and director played the card of sincerity, confessing his weaknesses and certain errors in complete humility. Drugs, alcohol, excessive spending and financial problems are part of the package. At the same time, a life of happiness filled him with numerous meetings, including those with Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando.

Born in 1940, Alfredo James Pacino grew up in New York in the South Bronx. His parents, of Sicilian origin, divorced when he was only two years old. His mother, who suffers from mental illness, adores her only son and nicknames him “Sonny Boy”. Together, they often went to the cinema and very early on he wanted to become an actor.

He tries to enter the Actors Studio, but is refused. As he has no money to pay for his studies, in addition to having to help his mother to make ends meet, he will take on more odd jobs.

“I cleaned the hallways and classrooms in dance classes, and eventually I got a scholarship to continue my studies,” the actor writes.

After several courses in drama, still determined, he ended up being accepted at the Actors Studio.

It was at the age of 30 that he landed a notable role in Panic in Needle Park. Then finally comes The Godfather in 1972. It was his role in this trilogy which became the decisive moment of his career.

Rich then ruined

During his acting career, Al Pacino earned a very good living, amassing a significant fortune. However, at age 70, he found himself completely ruined. “It was the worst moment of my life,” confides the actor in his book, fully aware that the rest of things were not going to be easy.

“I wasn’t a young man anymore, I wasn’t going to make as much money acting in films as I had before. »

It would be his accountant in whom he trusted who scammed him.

“I had $50 million in my account, and then suddenly I had no money,” he wrote. Even though he no longer has a penny, he still has assets, including his houses and 16 cars.

If these times were difficult for the star, it was not his first financial problems. In addition to his early days where he constantly lacked money to live on, he also had to go through a personal bankruptcy in 2010, we learn. His lifestyle was extravagant. In addition, he financially supported all his children.

“I was spending up to $400,000 a month,” confesses the actor.

To rebuild his financial fortunes, Al Pacino reluctantly agrees to star in films he considers bad. He also sold one of his houses and resigned himself to lending his image to advertising campaigns.

Never married

The actor who, for many years, saw women throwing themselves at his feet never married. However, the romantic conquests have been very numerous. He nevertheless has some regrets in this regard, including the actress Marcheline Bertrand, the mother of Angelina Jolie, whom he would have liked to marry, but she preferred the actor Jon Voight.

He has four children, his first daughter from his relationship with his theater teacher. He also had twins with actress Beverly D’Angelo. His youngest son, Roman, was born in 2023, he was 83 years old, from a union with an actress 53 years his junior.

Moreover, he writes that he published his memoirs so that his youngest child can know his story. He received $5 million from Penguin Random House to publish his memoirs.

He looked death in the face

It was in 2020 that the actor came close to dying from COVID. He no longer had a pulse and he talks about his near-death experience in his autobiography.

But seeing death up close didn’t stop him from working. Far from wanting to retire, in 2025 we will see Al Pacino in two new films, Captivated et The Ritual.

• Al Pacino has been nominated 49 times and won 13 awards.
• In 1993, he won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actor for the film, Time for a weekend.