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Key Points

Michelle Pfeiffer recently shared the wild story of her Scarface audition on the SmartLess podcast. She revealed that Al Pacino initially didn't want her for the role of Elvira despite director Brian De Palma's support. The turning point came during a screen test where she accidentally cut Pacino during an intense restaurant scene. Surprisingly, that moment of chaos is what finally convinced Pacino she was right for the part.

Key Points: Michelle Pfeiffer Recalls Scarface Audition That Cut Al Pacino

  • Pfeiffer initially failed her Scarface audition and got worse over two months
  • Al Pacino didn't want her for Elvira role despite Brian De Palma's support
  • Her breakthrough came during restaurant scene where she accidentally cut Pacino
  • She thought cutting Pacino would cost her the part but it actually convinced him
3 min read

Michelle Pfeiffer recalls audition for Al Pacino starrer 'Scarface'

Michelle Pfeiffer reveals how accidentally cutting Al Pacino during her Scarface screen test finally convinced him she was perfect for Elvira role

"I cut him in the finger or something... that was the day Pacino was like, 'Yeah, she's not bad' - Michelle Pfeiffer"

Washington DC, October 6

Actress and film producer Michelle Pfeiffer recalled her audition process for Brian De Palma's directorial crime drama 'Scarface', also starring Al Pacino, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

She shared the moment when Pacino was convinced she was perfect for the role of Elvira in the 1983 film.

She recently appeared on the SmartLess podcast, hosted by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, and recalled being part of the movie. Michelle said that while the filmmaker wanted her for the part, Pacino didn't initially feel the same way.

"Al will admit this," she said, "but he didn't really want me for the part," as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.

She recalled meeting De Palma and the casting director and failing her initial audition for the film. However, "over the course of two months, I just got worse and worse and worse, because I'm just afraid. And by the end, I'm bad."

Pfeiffer admitted she didn't "blame" Pacino for his initial reaction. "He just was like, 'She's bad.' And Brian finally comes to me and says, 'You know, doll, it's just not gonna work out. I'm like, 'I know, man. I'm sorry.' Because Brian really wanted me," she said, as per the outlet.

"As disappointed as I was," the ace star continued, "I was so happy to be done with it. So, like, at least a month goes by, and I get a call, they want to bring me in to screen test. So I show up and I don't even give a shit, 'cause I know I'm not getting this part."

Pfeiffer recalled that the "restaurant scene where I explode at the end," ended up being "my best work of the film."

"I swipe the table of the dishes and glasses break, the dishes break, cut. There's blood everywhere. They all run over to me, to see where I've cut myself. Well, I didn't cut me. I cut Al," she recalled, adding that she "cut him in the finger or something," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"I thought, 'Well, there goes that part.' But actually, I think that was the day [Pacino] was like, 'Yeah, yeah. I think, yeah, she's not bad,'" Pfeiffer added.

The 1983 crime classic follows determined, criminal-minded Cuban immigrant Tony Montana (Pacino), who becomes the biggest drug smuggler in Miami and is eventually undone by his own drug addiction. Elvira was Tony's troubled wife, a drug-addicted socialite, who was the former lover of his boss, Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia), according to The Hollywood Reporter.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Scarface is such an iconic film! Interesting to know that even legends like Al Pacino can be wrong about casting decisions. Michelle proved herself with that restaurant scene - what a performance!
S
Sarah B
This reminds me of how sometimes when we stop trying too hard and just be ourselves, that's when we perform best. Michelle's story is a great lesson in not giving up despite setbacks.
A
Arjun K
While this is an interesting Hollywood story, I wish Indian media would give more coverage to our own film industry's behind-the-scenes stories. We have so many amazing casting and audition tales from Bollywood!
M
Michael C
Can you imagine accidentally cutting Al Pacino during an audition and still getting the part? 😂 That's some next-level audition story! Michelle's Elvira remains one of the most memorable characters in cinema history.
K
Kavya N
The pressure she must have felt auditioning for such a big film with legendary actors! It's relatable how performance anxiety can make us worse instead of better. Glad she finally got her breakthrough moment.

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