Al Pacino has a career spanning over five decades. The actor and filmmaker has been in plenty of movies and television shows, and has lent his talents to beyond just acting on screen. With a long history of work and a healthy list of accolades, Pacino has certainly made a name for himself in the entertainment industry. He has found love over the years, although never getting married, and has also been able to start a family of his own with his three beautiful children.
Pacino was born April 25, 1940 in New York. His parents divorced when he was quite young, leaving him to live with his mother and his maternal grandparents in the Bronx. His father Sal Pacino, an Italian immigrant from Sicily, moved across the country to live and work in California. This may have played a role in Pacino’s choices later in life, since he was considered to be a troublemaker at school, getting into fights occasionally with his classmates. Pacino, however, had great friends and made his goals and ambitions clear. He was nicknamed “Sonny” by his friends, as well as “The Actor,” fitting for his future occupation.
The future star found love with entertainers later in his life, allowing him to start a beautiful expanded family. Pacino has three children, with his two daughters being incredibly involved online and in the public eye, while his son has opted for a different kind of lifestyle. While his son Anton hasn’t completely stepped out into the spotlight, he has certainly grown up to be just as strikingly handsome as his father.
Rising Star
The love for acting came early to Pacino, getting bit by the acting bug when he was a teenager. He began acting in basement plays in the city of New York, trying to find real jobs while working underground. Pacino’s struggle was intense, as he was at times unemployed and even homeless while trying to pursue his dreams of being an actor and finding real work. He joined the HB Studio, a non-profit organization that offers professional training in performing arts, such as acting classes, workshops and lectures. This is where Pacino found people to turn to and mentor him, helping him develop his skills as a future actor and producer.
After learning and growing at the HB Studio for four years, Pacino was finally ready to audition for the Actors Studio. He passed his audition successfully, joining the prestigious organization of professional actors, theater directors and playwrights. This was essentially the turning point in Pacino’s life, taking his career to the next level.
Putting his skills to the test, Pacino picked up roles in plays and productions on stage throughout New York, with a short venture to Boston, Massachusetts, as well. In Boston, he spent a season at the Charles Playhouse in 1967, performing in “Awake and Sing!” He received his first major paycheck for this role, earning $125 per week. His time in Boston paid off later in his career when Pacino won the Boston Society of Film Critics Award in 1997 for Best Leading Actor.
He made his Broadway debut in February 1969, with a production of “Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?” at the Belasco Theater in Midtown Manhattan. Pacino received great reviews for his performance, and even won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play the same year.
Pacino’s Success
Pacino’s stage career was bountiful, but the money wasn’t always there. He redirected his talent to the big screen, auditioning for roles in film and television. Pacino landed a role in “The Panic in the Needle Park” in 1971, grabbing the attention of film director Francis Ford Coppola. This was a turning point in Pacino’s career, as it led him to play Michael Corleone in “The Godfather” the following year. The movie became a blockbuster success, leading to a handful of follow-up films and projects, with Pacino reprising his role in each.
Pacino received his first nomination for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe for his performance in “The Godfather.” Although he didn’t win any of these awards, the movie put Pacino on the map. He later went on to win a number of awards for his work in film and television.
The 1970s were great for Pacino and his career. He seemed to be landing role after role. His career slumped a bit during the 1980s, receiving poor reviews from both fans and critics for his work. Luckily, Pacino was able to dig himself out of that slump and made another career-defining moment with his performance in “Scarface” in 1983. His iconic role as Tony Montana has been captivating audiences across the world for decades, even inspiring a K-pop song in 2016 appropriately titled “Tony Montana” by rapper Agust D.
Pacino’s work in the 1990s and 2000s led him to a number of roles in various film genres. He continued to work alongside big names, including Christopher Nolan for the 2002 thriller “Insomnia.” Pacino’s recent work in the 2019 film “The Irishman” garnered him a few award nominations, with Pacino taking home the Hollywood Film Award for Hollywood Supporting Actor.
Starting A Family
With such a long-lasting career, it might have seemed impossible for Pacino to find the time for romance, much less a family. Luckily, he learned to juggle everything life had thrown at him along the way. Although he never got married, Pacino has had a few serious relationships over the years. His first daughter, Julie Marie Pacino, was born in 1989, to Pacino and her mother Jan Tarrant, an acting coach.
Pacino was later in a serious relationship with actress Beverly D’Angelo from 1996 until 2003. The couple had a set of twins together born Jan. 25, 2001, named Anton James Pacino and Olivia Rose Pacino.
D’Angelo is most famous for being an actress in both film and television series with a handful of award nominations to showcase her wondrous talents. She is also known for being a singer. Her big break came from a leading role in “National Lampoon’s Vacation” starring alongside Chevy Chase. She reprised her role as Ellen Griswold in the follow-up movies as well. Some of her other notable roles include her performance as Stella Kowalski in the 1984 TV movie version of “A Streetcar Named Desire” and a recurring role on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” D’Angelo has also tried her hand at producing, writing and directing in a handful of other projects.
During an interview with People in February 2001, Pacino’s father Sal and his wife, Katherine Kovin-Pacino, talked about how excited they were about Pacino and D’Angelo having children together. “We’re thrilled!” Sal announced. Although Pacino already had one daughter from a previous relationship, this was going to be his first son, since D’Angelo was pregnant with fraternal twins.
Balancing Home Life And Work Life
“Al has been wanting a son for so long,” Kovin-Pacino said. “Beverly is going to make a wonderful mom. She is the best thing that ever happened to Al.” Although D’Angelo had children a little late in life at 49-years-old, there were luckily no major complications throughout her pregnancy. “She was very uncomfortable at the end, but she came through like a trouper,” Kovin-Pacino said.
During an interview with People in February 2003, Pacino talked about what life has been like as a father co-parenting with his ex-girlfriend. When talking about his children specifically, he had nothing but great things to say. “They have certainly given my life a lift,” he said.
Although there was a custody battle for the children, with Pacino seeking joint custody and liberal visitation rights, Pacino and D’Angelo have managed to figure out how to raise their children together. The pair tried to keep their private issues out of the public eye. Pacino’s friend writer Lawrence Grobel talked about how important the children are to his friend. “He loves these kids as much as he loves anything in life,” Grobel told People.
Pacino talked about his life, specifically what it’s like being an actor, during an interview with The Guardian. He expanded on what it’s like to constantly be known by others whenever he’s out in public. “If I have a rare time of being somewhere and not being recognized, it’s a luxury,” he said. His fame has also impacted his children in their day-to-day lives. “It’s hard for my children to go out publicly with me,” Pacino explained.
Pacino Reflects On His Career
His love for acting has been consistent over the years, despite the hardships that have come with it. “There were times when I was young when I could have used money,” Pacino said. “After college, I was often unemployed, and at one time I slept in a storefront for a few days. But I’ve never been materialistic.” Pacino joked about how his lifestyle in the spotlight has changed that a bit. “Except that I am, of course, because my lifestyle makes me a spender,” he said.
Money was never the determining factor for Pacino when picking acting as his career goal. “The joy of work is what keeps me going,” he said. Pacino has had plenty of notable roles throughout his acting career. “Michael Corleone in ‘The Godfather’ was and still is the most difficult role I’ve ever played,” Pacino said. “I felt his power was his enigmatic quality.”
His love and passion for acting is what has led Pacino to have such a long career, spanning across multiple decades. “I believe I have reached my strie, which is why I persist,” he said. “As long as you have passion for the art, keep working, because age catches up with you.”
Being a father has also played an extremely important role in Pacino’s life. “Before I had my three, I’d walk around in my own head, not noticing anything,” he started. “Acting used to be everything; now, because of them, it’s just a small part.” While Pacino has been lucky enough to have a successful career and a beautiful family, he has faced some hardships throughout his life. His parents divorced when he was young, so he didn’t get to see his father much.
Focusing On The Children
He later had to overcome the loss of his mother. “The lowest point of my life was losing my mother, Rose, and grandfather,” Pacino said, losing his loved ones when he was just 22-years-old. “The two most influential people in my life had gone, so that sent me into a tailspin,” he said. This ultimately led him to refocusing on himself, his health and his future. “I gave up drinking in 1977 and decided to focus on the work,” Pacino said.
Family is extremely important to Pacino, so much so that he has even included them in his work. According to The Things, he has even taken his twin children along with him to award ceremonies and other Hollywood events.
Although the couple had a few issues to sort out, they have seemed to put the past behind them in an effort to parent their children together. During an interview with Closer Weekly in July 2017, D’Angelo reflected on what it was like being pregnant with Pacino’s children. “I had a fantasy that when you have kids, you do it in a family setting,” she said. “After we’d known each other for three months, (Al) looked me in the eyes and said, ‘I want you to be the mother of my children.’ That’s all I had to hear.”
The couple didn’t stay together after the children were born, leading to a custody dispute between them. “When you focus on getting pregnant, you can lose the perspective that you’re creating a family and a responsibility to a child’s future,” D’Angelo said. Thankfully, the pair have been able to move forward. “The key thing is creating a new history, and moving on from whatever dissolved that relationship to the new one of co-parenting,” D’Angelo explained.
Meet Anton James Pacino
While Pacino’s daughters are active on social media and have made themselves a bit known in the public, his only son has chosen a different path. Anton has kept his life pretty private, with the only public pictures of him seeming to come from outings with his famous father. Pacino and D’Angelo had worked hard at trying to keep their children from the public eye, and it appears as though Anton has continued to do that for himself even as he’s gotten older.
According to an article from E Celebrity Mirror in July 2020, Anton hadn’t made many headlines yet. He was a high school graduate at the time, having a relatively easy time with his schoolwork. E Celebrity Mirror reported that he was a “smooth learner.”
The name Anton means priceless and valuable, something that Pacino might have had in mind while naming his only son. It’s clear that Pacino’s love for all of his children is undeniable and insurmountable. Anton has been pictured with his siblings over the years, showing off their incredible bond with each other. His sisters have started to have busy lives, and while it’s unclear what exactly Anton has spent much of his current time doing, it’s evident that the trio try to make time to spend together.
Pacino worked hard at keeping his life as private as possible, passing that ideal on to his children. While Anton does not have any public social media accounts or any work in the entertainment industry, it’s safe to say that he’s enjoying his time in a private space. Pacino has raised three beautiful and talented children who the world will hopefully get to learn more about as time goes on.
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