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 Roles turned down by Al Pacino:

Absence of Malice
Sidney Pollack originally wanted Pacino to play the lead role.
Actor who got the part: Paul Newman

Angel Heart
Pacino was considered to play Harry Parker.
Actor who got the part: Mickey Rourke

Apocalypse Now
Considered for the part of Willard.
Actor who got the part: Martin Sheen

Bang the Drum Slowly
Pacino was cast to play the doomed baseball catcher, Bruce Pearson, but he left the role for "the Godfather". Copolla suggested DiNiro as a replacement.
Actor who got the part: Robert DiNiro

Beverly Hills Cop
Pacino was considered for role of Axel Foley.
Actor who got the part: Eddie Murphy

Blow Out
Director Brian De Palma was originally considering actors like Pacino or Richard Dreyfuss for the role of Jack.
Actor who got the part: John Travolta

Born on The Fourth of July
Pacino was cast in this film before Oliver Stone directed "Platoon" The movie was set to go with another director (with Stone writing the screenplay) when financing fell through.
Actor who got the part: Tom Cruise

Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Pacino tested but was rejected by the director (Franco Zeffirelli), who disliked his acting style.
Actor who got the part: Graham Faulkner

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Al Pacino turned down lead for the role Roy Neary.
Actor who got the part: Richard Dreyfuss

Coming Home
Al Pacino was considered to play Luke Martin.
Actor who got the part: Jon Voight

Crimson Tide
Al Pacino turned down the lead role.
Actor who got the part: Gene Hackman

Days of Heaven
Al Pacino turned down the lead role.
Actor who got the part: Richard Gere

Elegy
Pacino pulled out of the film project based on Philip Roth's novel about the romance between an older professor and his beautiful young student. Years later, the project was revived with a different director and actors.
Actor who got the part: Ben Kingsley

Family Plot
Alfred Hitchcock considered Pacino to play the cab driver who stumbles on a complicated kidnap and thievery plot.
Actor who got the part: Bruce Dern

First Blood
Al Pacino was considered to play Rambo.

Flashdance
Turned down the part of Nick Hurley, because it would compromise with his "gangster" image.
Actor who got the part: Michael Nouri

Funny Lady
Al Pacino was considered for the part of Billy Rose opposite Streisand.
Actor who got the part: James Caan

Get Shorty
Al Pacino was considered to play Chili Palmer.
Actor who got the part: John Travolta

Johnny Handsome
Pacino was originally attached to play the title character and worked on developing the script, but ultimately passed on the role.
Actor who got the part: Mickey Rourke

The King of Marvin Gardens
Pacino was offered the role of David by director Bob Rafelson. He declined because he was contemplating starring in The Godfather.
Actor who got the part: Jack Nicholson

Kramer vs. Kramer
Al Pacino turned down the role of Ted Kramer.
Actor who got the part: Dustin Hoffman

Lenny
Pacino was considered for the role of Lenny Bruce.
Actor who got the part: Dustin Hoffman

Love Me or Leave Me
The actor was often mentioned as the likely co-star with Winona Ryder in a remake of the 1955 musical biography of torch singer Ruth Etting's relationship with a gangster.
Actor who got the part: Project Abandoned

Marathon Man
John Schlesinger wanted Al Pacino and Julie Christie to co-star in this production. Robert Evans insisted that Dustin Hoffman be cast.
Actor who got the part: Dustin Hoffman

Midnight Cowboy
Pacino was scheduled to make an appearance as a Vietnam vet but couldn't fit it in his schedule.

Misery
Al Pacino turned down the lead role.
Actor who got the part: James Caan

The Pope of Greenwich Village
In an interview with Leonard Maltin on ET while promoting 'Heat' back in 1995, Pacino & DeNiro said they were offered the lead roles in TPOGV, but it didn't work out for some reason.
Actor who got the part: Eric Roberts & Mickey Rourke

Pretty Woman
Al Pacino was offered the lead role of Edward.
Actor who got the part: Richard Gere

RKO 281
Al Pacino was considered to replace Dustin Hoffman in the role of Herman J. Mankiewicz. The film was eventually scaled down to a TV movie.
Actor who got the part: John Malkovich

Runaway Bride
Al Pacino turned down the lead role and opted to do "Any Given Sunday".
Actor who got the part: Richard Gere

Slap Shot
Lost out on the lead role of the coach-player because he thought director George Roy Hill "facetious" when he asked if he could ice skate.
Actor who got the part: Paul Newman

Snake Eyes
Was originally cast to play the role of Commander Kevin Dunne.
Actor who got the part: Gary Sinise

Star Wars
Supposedly turned down the role of Han Solo in Star Wars.
Actor who got the part: Harrison Ford

Taxi Driver
Al Pacino turned down the role of Travis Bickle.
Actor who got the part: Robert DeNiro

Traffic
Pacino turned down the role of Judge Wakefield.
Actor who got the part: Michael Douglas

The Usual Suspects
He turned down the role of Dave Kujan because he was already playing a cop in another movie around that time.
Actor who got the part: Chazz Palminteri






Did you know that Al Pacino was not the only choice for these movies? (click to learn more)
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» The Merchant of Venice
» Panic in Needle Park
» Sea of Love

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