where the cast of The Godfather is after 50 years
Channel: FOGG CINEMA
Date: 2023-07-22

The film had premiered in 1972 and little did we know that back then that it would take over the pop culture space and seal its place in cinematic history the way it for 50 years. To this day, The Godfather remains one of the most revered works of director Francis Ford Coppola with a joint screenplay by Coppola along with Mario Puzo, Robert and Towne. 
From the performances to the music to the dialogues, everything about The Godfather received an iconic status over the years. The film also became a breakthrough work for actors such as Al Pacino and Diane Keaton who had just started out at the time. The film managed to bring together some of the finest artists to create what we can only call cinema history. 50 years on, we take a look at the cast of the original film and where they are now. 
For Marlon Brando, The Godfather turned out to be a huge opportunity for a comeback after his career had taken a downturn in the 60s. In The Godfather, Brando starred as the family patriarch, Don Vito Corleone. Following this film, the actor was also seen in films like Last Tango in Paris and Apocalypse Now. The actor passed away in 2004 at the age of 80. The actor's last completed movie was reportedly The Score in 2001 with Robert De Niro and Edward Norton. 

Al Pacino
It was Al Pacino's Broadway act that convinced Francis Ford Coppola that he was perfect to star as Michael Corleone in the film. His performance in the film also earned him his first Oscar nomination. After his successful stint in The Godfather trilogy, Pacino continued to soar in his career with acclaimed films like Scarface, Scent of a Woman among others. His most recent roles include The Irishman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, House of Gucci and also a web series, Hunters. Al Pacino recently reunited with director Coppola and Robert De Niro on Oscars 2022 stage to celebrate the film's 50th anniversary.

Robert Duvall 
The Godfather also turned out to be a breakout film for Robert Duvall who had previously acted in shows such as M.A.S.H, The FBI. Duvall starred as Tom Hagen in the film who is a lawyer to the Corleone family. After The Godfather, Duvall continued acting and was most recently also seen in  Widows (2018) and 12 Mighty Orphans (2021). The actor is 91-year-old. 

Diane Keaton
For Diane Keaton, The Godfather became one of her biggest films after already having a successful Broadway and TV career. The actress was cast as Kay Adams, Michael Corleone's wife in the film. The 76-year-old still continues to act and after her stint in The Godfather, starred in a series of projects with director Wody Allen. She also starred in light entertainers like Father of the Bride, Something's Gotta Give among others. Most recently, the actress featured in Justin Bieber's music video for the song Ghost. 
Talia Shire, who was the sister of Francis Ford Coppola played Connie Corleone in the film. Shire continued to star in the sequel as well and even won an Academy Award nomination for it. Talia later moved to another famous franchise as she starred in the Rocky series where she played Sylvester Stallone's love interest. Most recently, Shire appeared in Grace and Frankie and Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce.

James Caan 
It has been reported that originally James wanted to play Michael Corleone but Coppola found him perfect for the oldest son, Sonny role. Following The Godfather, Caan appeared in several other projects such as Elf, Get Smart, Dogville among others. 

John Cazale
The third Corleone brother, Fredo was played by John Cazale in the film. In his amazing film career, John starred in some of the most finest films including The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon, The Deer Hunter. The actor passed away aged 42 after a battle with lung cancer in 1978.

Robert De Niro
While many ask why Robert De Niro wasn't a part of the first film, it has been reported that the actor turned down the first film and was later given another offer to play a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II. He had initially auditioned for the role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather. De Niro won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in The Godfather Part II. Following the Coppola film, De Niro continued to have a successful career with films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and more recent works like The Irishman, The Intern. The actor will be next seen in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.