Chemistry with Keaton made studio cast Al Pacino in The Godfather

WASHINGTON: For Diane Keaton, the offer to star in the iconic blockbuster The Godfather was so compelling that she couldn’t refuse even though she hadn’t read author Mario Puzo’s book of the same name on which the movie is based, before auditioning for her part in the film.

The Academy Award winner admitted that she auditioned for The Godfather without having ever read the book as she reflected on her career during her Hand & Footprint Ceremony on Thursday at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Keaton, who played Kay Adams-Corleone, the wife of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone in the film, told said, “I think the kindest thing that someone’s ever done for me is that I got cast to be in The Godfather and I didn’t even read it. I didn’t know a single thing. I just was going around auditioning. I think that was amazing for me. And then I had to kind of read the book (sic).”

Diane later reprised the role in the 1974 and 1990 sequels of the film. “I was there and so he had me come back and then he cast me and then Al Pacino,” she says.

Keaton also raved about working opposite Pacino, noting that “the studio didn’t want Al Pacino at all” and only cast him after the pair had a chemistry reading together.

“So he brought Al Pacino in and we did it together and for some reason that helped them cast him. Can you imagine if (they) hadn’t cast him? So a lot of these experiences that you have come and you’re just surprised, like today, this was a surprise. This is (a) complete, utter surprise to me,” Keaton added.