Portrait · Jorge Gomez / U.S. Embassy in Argentina / CC BY 2.0

Al Pacino

Actor

Born 1940

Al Pacino is an American actor and director born Alfredo James Pacino in New York City. He grew up first in East Harlem and then in the South Bronx, raised by his mother and maternal grandparents. He attended the High School of Performing Arts and studied acting with Charles Laughton at the Herbert Berghof Studio and Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio. His Broadway work brought Tony Awards for Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? and The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel. The Panic in Needle Park gave him his first leading film role and helped launch a decade of major screen performances. As Michael Corleone in The Godfather, he follows a younger son into the violence and responsibility of his family’s criminal empire. Serpico placed him at the centre of a true story about a New York police officer confronting corruption within his own force. He reunited with Sidney Lumet for Dog Day Afternoon and with Francis Ford Coppola for the sequels to The Godfather. Scarface gave him another defining criminal character, Tony Montana. Scent of a Woman brought him the Academy Award for Best Actor. His later collaborations included Michael Mann’s Heat and The Insider, Mike Newell’s Donnie Brasco and Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia. Looking for Richard combined a performance of Shakespeare’s Richard III with an investigation of how actors interpret and communicate the play. On television, his portrayals of Roy Cohn in Angels in America and Dr Jack Kevorkian in You Don’t Know Jack won Emmy Awards. He later played Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman and Aldo Gucci in House of Gucci, alongside further television work in Paterno and Hunters. His continuing stage career includes Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Shelly Levene in Glengarry Glen Ross and Mickey Ross in China Doll. His career has been recognised with the National Medal of Arts. He also received Kennedy Center Honors. His memoir Sonny Boy traces his upbringing, acting work and relationship with the craft. Recent work includes Gus Van Sant’s hostage thriller Dead Man’s Wire. Tribeca’s festival lineup also includes him in Killing Castro and Julian Schnabel’s In the Hand of Dante.

Verified identityCore facts checked against named sources.

Keep exploring

Connected people

ConnectionRobert De NiroCo-star in The Irishman.

Full profileKeanu ReevesCo-star in The Devil’s Advocate.

ConnectionJohnny DeppCo-star in Donnie Brasco.

Portraits: Chris Roth / CC BY-SA 2.0

Official records · wins and honours

Awards & Honours

Selected recognition linked to the awarding organisation or primary record.

2016
Kennedy CenterIndustry honor
Kennedy Center Honors
Al Pacino
Official record
2011
Golden GlobesCompetitive win
Actor — Limited Series or Television Film
You Don’t Know Jack
Official record
2011
United StatesIndustry honor
National Medal of Arts
Al Pacino
Official record
2010
Primetime Emmy AwardsCompetitive win
Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
You Don’t Know Jack
Official record
2007
AFIIndustry honor
Life Achievement Award
Al Pacino
Official record
2004
Primetime Emmy AwardsCompetitive win
Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Angels in America
Official record
2004
Golden GlobesCompetitive win
Actor — Limited Series or Television Film
Angels in America
Official record
2001
Golden GlobesIndustry honor
Cecil B. DeMille Award
Al Pacino
Official record
1997
Directors Guild of AmericaCompetitive win
Documentary Directorial Achievement
Looking for Richard
Official record
1993
Academy AwardsCompetitive win
Actor in a Leading Role
Scent of a Woman
Official record
1993
Golden GlobesCompetitive win
Actor — Drama
Scent of a Woman
Official record
1977
Tony AwardsCompetitive win
Actor in a Play
The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel
Official record
1974
Golden GlobesCompetitive win
Actor — Drama
Serpico
Official record
1969
Tony AwardsCompetitive win
Featured Actor in a Play
Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
Official record

Kennedy Center Honors

Actor — Limited Series or Television Film

National Medal of Arts

Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

Life Achievement Award

Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

Actor — Limited Series or Television Film

Cecil B. DeMille Award

Documentary Directorial Achievement

Actor in a Leading Role

Actor — Drama

Actor in a Play

Actor — Drama

Featured Actor in a Play