Saturday, April 25, 2009

Birthday greetings to Michael and Connie

It's a birthday day for the Corleone family. Al Pacino (Michael Corleone) is 69 today and Connie Corleone (Talia Shire) is 63.

Pacino, of course, was nominated but never won an award for his portrayal of Mafia don, Corleone, in The Godfather trilogy. It was the original Godfather movie which vaulted Pacino to acting fame when he was chosen for the role of Michael over more established actors like Robert Redford and Warren Beatty, both of whom badly wanted the part. He received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for that movie and a Best Actor nomination for The Godfather II. He eventually won for his role in Scent of a Woman.

Shire portrayed Connie Corleone in the three Godfather movies after being cast in that role by her brother, director Francis Ford Coppola. Shire too was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of an alcoholic, beaten-down, resentful Connie in the second Godfather movie. However, it's her evolved role in Godfather III which was touching--she took on the role of family matriarch, and proxy don, due to the age, health and family challenges of Michael.

How interesting that these two actors--who had a relationship which twisted and turned over the course of the trilogy--have a birthday on the same day.

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