On November 22, 1963, then-president of the United States John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, forever altering the course of American history and, incidentally, American media. The tragedy is woven into tales across the narrative spectrum, from rather silly speculative fiction like The Umbrella Academy and Bubba Ho-Tep, to more grounded worlds like Oppenheimer and The Crown. Assassination sounds to be doing a bit of both, and it’s since locked in the players it needs to fly high.

The Barry Levinson-directed mystery thriller has added the likes of Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser, and Bryan Cranston onto a cast that already including Al Pacino. That’s nine Oscar wins between the five of them, and many more nominations; Oscars, of course, being some of the best buzz you can possibly have.

Assassination will focus on one Dorothy Kilgallen (likely played by Chastain), a highly prolific voice in the media at the time of JFK’s assassination. Dorothy, unconvinced by the claim that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, takes it upon herself to track down the true culprit behind the incident, inadvertently teeing herself up against the CIA, Mafia, and FBI in the process.

Of Kilgallen’s story, Levinson stated “Dorothy Kilgallen was the first female crime reporter in America. She was the only woman to ever cover the JFK case. The only reporter to speak with Jack Ruby [the nightclub owner who killed Oswald on live television two days after JFK’s murder]. With back-channel sources to the Warren Commission, she started putting pieces together that no one else did. She died under very suspicious circumstances, but it was never investigated.”

Kilgallen was found dead just under two years after the Kennedy assassination, reportedly from a combination of alcohol and an overdose of anti-depressants.

Producer Jason Sosnoff adds “We love the idea of exploring this topic through Dorothy’s perspective. She was relentless and courageous in pursuing the truth, and this film is as much her story as it is the uncovering of what happened that day in Dallas.”

The film will be a part of the inaugural slate of Concord Studios, a brand new production company launched by producer Pia Patatian (Manodrome), which intends to build up a reputation for “original and high-quality director-driven films for a theatrical audience.”

Alongside Sosnoff, Assassination will be produced by Corey Large (It Follows), and ing Patatian in the executive producing role is John Burham, Bernie Gewissler, and Jordan Nott. And in addition to directing, Levinson also penned the film’s script with David Mamet and Sam Bromell. Production will begin in early 2025 in Boston.

Levinson has won six Oscars over the course of his career, four of them coming from 1988’s Rain Man, and another two from 1991’s Bugsy. Altogether, the filmmaker has been nominated for 34 different Academy Awards.

Chastain’s Academy Award win came from her eponymous performance in 2021’s The Eyes of Tammy Faye, which also netted her a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critics’ Choice Award. Fraser, for his part, won his Oscar on the back off 2022’s The Whale, wherein he portrayed the leading character Charlie (which, like Chastain, also won him a Screen Actors Guild Award).

Cranston, meanwhile, was nominated for the Oscar for his portrayal of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo in the 2015 film Trumbo, while Pacino’s came from his leading role in 1993’s Scent of a Woman (between Best Actor and Best ing Actor, Pacino has been Oscar-nominated on nine separate occasions).

Is it the start of Gen Alpha’s takeover? The youngest Pacino has been seemingly leapfrogging into the smartphone era right after learning to walk, or at least that’s what The Godfather claims.

While you and I try to dance around and stay relevant with the Gen Z trends, Al Pacino‘s toddler is already cruising through the digital age like it’s no big deal. Forget whether he can string a full sentence together—16-month-old Roman, Pacino’s youngest of four children, is apparently sending texts to his 84-year-old dad. All this while my millennial dad still replies with a thumbs-up emoji on my every text. Pacino, can I sign my dad up for classes with baby Roman?

While there’s no evidence of the texts, Pacino, who recently wrote his autobiography Sonny Boy (titled after the nickname his mother gave him) revealed it when he sat for an interview with BBC‘s Colin Paterson. The man then dished elaborately on his life, career, and what inspired him to finally put pen to paper. And surprise, surprise—becoming a dad again at 83 – making him one of the oldest known fathers of all time – played a huge role.

During the conversation, Pacino, who welcomed his fourth child, Roman, in 2023 with ex-partner Noor Alfallah, itted that fatherhood later in life gave him plenty to reflect on. For the legendary actor, his new autobiography isn’t just a Hollywood memoir—it’s a keepsake for baby Roman. The legendary actor wants to ensure his son knows all about his life, both on and off the screen. But Pacino’s not just writing it down; he’s also savoring every moment with Roman while he can.

Despite being separated from Alfallah now, Pacino has found a rather modern way to co-parent Roman. “He does text me from time to time,” Pacino quipped during the interview. Considering his claims, co-parenting must be going fine—since Pacino’s pint-sized texter is already keeping the communication flowing. Detailing his conversations with his child, he revealed,

“Everything he does is real. Everything he does is interesting to me. So, we talk. I play the harmonica with him on the other video thing, and we have made this kind of . So, it’s fun.”

While it’s unclear if Pacino’s mini-me is truly a tech prodigy or if Siri’s autocorrect is lending a hand, the internet is, unsurprisingly, in stitches. Under an X post shared by Discussing Film, fans have poured hilarious reactions over Pacino’s claims about his tech-savvy toddler.

One (@Scoby20) intelligently compared Roman to the Boss Baby, all suited up and holding a phone. And now that we think of it, baby Roman may be sitting somewhere looking exactly like that. But another (@IntroSpecktive) had a rather split opinion, and said “It’s just his ex texting him sh*t like goo goo ga ga.” And honestly, it could be a possibility too.

Regardless of whether baby Roman really texts his dad or not, Pacino has been enjoying fatherhood in his eccentric way. But of course, we have to wonder what these supposed texts from the little one are saying. Perhaps, “Can we get better Wi-Fi in the crib?”

It’s not every day you read about someone becoming a father at 83, but Al Pacino is certainly not everyone!

The actor surprised fans last year when it was announced that he and his much younger baby mama, film producer Noor Alfallah, were having a child — but a lot has changed in a year. In June 2023, it was reported that the Scent of a Woman actor became a father for the fourth time: he and Alfallah welcomed their son, Roman (he is also a father to three adult children from previous relationships: twins Anton and Olivia, and daughter, Julie Marie). At the time of their son’s birth, Alfallah was believed to be Pacino’s partner; however, in a recent interview with People, the actor made a surprising comment on his relationship status.

“No. I have friendship,” he told the publication after being asked if he was in a relationship. His representative also shed more light on the veteran actor’s comments, saying, “Al and Noor are very good friends, have been for years, and are co-parents to their son Roman.”

Noor Alfallah never intended to have Al Pacino’s child

Pacino gave no further information about his relationship with Alfallah (she is 54 years his junior), but he did share his thoughts on marriage and how it is not something he plans to do, ever! “Everything’s a ticket to the pain train. A ticket or nothing. Are you going to go or not? No, I’ll stay here. I’ll stay here at the station, I’m not getting on,” he confessed. Although the actor acknowledges that some people are suited to marriage, he does not feel he is one of them.

Pacino is, however, open to cohabitating with a romantic partner. “I loved living together, and then … It depends on who you are getting along with,” he said. “If you live together with someone, there’s got to be… You have to have this communion. If you don’t, it’s almost an invasion. So I like to know that if I find a human that I can connect with.”

Alfallah told Vogue Arabia earlier this year that she ired Pacino as an actor but never intended for him to father her child (at least, not when they first met). The pair met at a dinner and chatted casually but did not exchange details. They met again a year later. “I thought, wow, that’s Al Pacino. I went to film school, so I wasn’t dumb about who he was,” she reflected on their first meeting. “He’s a very talented and unique person. But I had no intention of thinking like, oh, he is going to be my son’s father one day.”

In the same interview, Alfallah itted that the pair became friends during the COVID-19 pandemic. They lived on the same street and started spending time together playing chess and watching films. “I guess it just became something more,” she said of the change in their relationship.

It is unconfirmed whether Alfallah is now in a relationship with someone else. But Pacino is not the only famous man she has been linked to: she is rumored to have dated another much older star: Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. Age difference clearly does not determine her happiness. A source previously told People that Alfallah and Pacino’s age difference “isn’t a major issue for them.” They added, “They seem to enjoy each other’s company and have things in common in the entertainment area.”

The 1997 crime drama film Donnie Brasco was based on the book Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia written by Joseph Pistone and Richard Woodley. The movie revolves around FBI agent Joseph Pistone (Johnny Depp) and his efforts to gain crucial information about the Bonanno crime family by going undercover as a jewel thief named Donnie Brasco and forging a relationship with mobster Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero (Al Pacino).

Given that Donnie Brasco is a Hollywood production, we can assume that not everything portrayed on screen exactly reflects real-life events. The real Joseph Pistone served as a consultant for the movie, and while a few scenes were added for entertainment and impact, he said 85 percent was accurate. So, what was real and what was fake?

The undercover assignment

Pistone was a special agent for the FBI when he went undercover as Donnie Brasco in 1975. He was chosen for the assignment because of his Italian heritage and deep knowledge of how the mafia operated. “I’m Italian. I know the Mafia. I grew up in an old Italian neighborhood that was mafia-dominated. I knew these guys,” he said in an interview. What was supposed to be a six-month undercover operation turned into five years, and Pistone, as Brasco, forged relationships with the criminals he worked with. 

Brasco’s close relationship with Lefty is seen in Donnie Brasco, which was also true in real life. They were so close that Lefty asked Brasco to be his best man at his wedding in 1977. Pistone said that it was impossible not to form some sort of friendship with the mob, but at the end of the day, he had to remind himself that he was on the job and dealing with gangsters who wouldn’t think twice about killing their best friend.

Who was Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero?

Lefty Ruggiero ed the Bonanno crime family as a street soldier and eventually participated in organized crime operations, bookmaking, and loan sharking. It was Anthony Mirra, a fellow Bonanno soldier, who introduced Pistone to Lefty. The two developed a close bond, with Leftty taking on a mentor role for the newcomer. He guided Brasco through the inner workings of the mob and trusted him enough to vouch for him to the higher-ups in the Bonanno family. Pistone’s undercover work concluded in 1981, right before he was officially inducted into the family. Soon afterward the mob learned that Brasco was an undercover agent.

In Donnie Brasco, Lefty receives a call asking him to meet with the family. He knew that he was a dead man walking, as he was the one who vouched for an undercover agent to infiltrate the Bonanno family. As he gets his coat to leave his home, he tells his wife, “If Donnie calls, tell him if it was going to be anyone, I’m glad it was him.” He leaves the valuables he has on his person before walking out the door. The screen fades to black and a gunshot is heard, implying that Lefty was taken out by his own crime family.

In reality, though, the FBI arrested Lefty in Aug. 1981. The following year, he went on trial for racketeering conspiracy and Pistone testified against him. He reportedly said, “I’ll get that motherf***er Donnie if it’s the last thing I do.” He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison but was released after 11 years due to his health condition. Lefty suffered from testicular and lung cancer and died in 1994 at 68 years old.

New Marvel characters are being introduced with each fresh entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there are only so many larger-than-life villains left to bring into the fold. One of these villains has already been teased, or at least hinted at, and fans are convinced that he’ll be popping up in an MCU project any day now. That villain is the master demon of Hell, Mephisto.

In the comic books, Mephisto has encountered and exploited many a hero by making deals with them, like infamously getting Peter Parker to wish away his marriage with Mary Jane Watson to save the life of his Aunt May, or making the pact with Johnny Blaze that led to him becoming Ghost Rider. If Mephisto were to the MCU, there are plenty of choices for who could play him. Given the hype around the series Agatha All Along, many Marvel fans believe this could be where Mephisto makes his first official appearance. If that does indeed happen, here are our top 12 choices for who should play the fiery foe.

12. George Clooney

Look, Mephisto is someone who can get people to sign on the dotted line, right? Then he’ll need to be played by someone with charisma, and who’s more charismatic than George Clooney? Clooney has not touched a superhero role since Batman and Robin (or The Flash, if that counts), wherein he infamously played the Dark Knight before fleeing the hero scene entirely. If you can’t recall where else you’ve seen Clooney before, I have questions, as he’s the star of major titles like The Ides of March, Up in the Air, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and ER. Now in his silver fox era, Clooney could easily switch sides and play a villainous role more akin to the morally gray characters he usually plays, like Danny in the Ocean’s 11 franchise.

11. Sean Penn

Even though Sean Penn is not necessarily known for playing bad guys, he has an aura that would make him perfect for Mephisto. The Milk actor is one of a few actors on this list who is quite selective of the roles he picks, and like many other Hollywood stars, there’s a chance he might not want to go down the Marvel path. The one thing that might work in his favor is that he recently starred in a miniseries called Gaslit. If Penn is willing to act on a TV series (something many actors avoided like the plague in a pre-streaming world), perhaps he’s willing to play in the Marvel sandbox under the right circumstances ⏤ Mephisto circumstances. (Insert devilish grin here.)

10. Daniel Day-Lewis

Regarded as one of the best actors of his generation, Daniel Day-Lewis would be a perfect Mephisto, although in all fairness, there aren’t many characters he wouldn’t be suited for. You know him from Gangs of New York, Lincoln, and There Will Be Blood, but the legendary actor retired after starring in Phantom Thread, making the chances of him coming out of retirement for a Marvel role quite low (unless he needs a new house or something). Day-Lewis is also perhaps the most famous method actor alive, so we’d hate to see him go to hell and back just to play Mephisto, but hey! It would be worth it, at least on our end.

9. Wes Bentley

Wes Bentley might be one of the more intriguing choices on this list, as he’s perhaps the least well-known. You most likely recognize him from Yellowstone, but he’s also made notable appearances in American Beauty, The Hunger Games, and Interstellar. Like a couple of the other actors on this list, he would nail the devilish look of Mephisto’s character, as evidenced by his Hunger Games character Seneca Crane. Curiously, Bentley has already appeared in the Marvel Universe, just not in the MCU. He played Blackheart in 2007’s Ghost Rider, the main villain in the movie and the son of Mephisto (as played by Peter Fonda). Thus, a contemporary Mephisto casting would be the perfect throwback, even if just for the satisfyingly full-circle multiversal cameo moment it would create.

8. Sacha Baron Cohen

Sacha Baron Cohen might be the most interesting choice for Mephisto on this list, because there’s a chance he’s already been cast. You likely know the actor from the zany characters he’s played in the past ⏤ Borat, Ali G, Bruno ⏤ and while he’s mostly known for his comedic roles, it takes serious acting chops to expertly execute comedy. Cohen has also proven himself in more serious projects, including Sweeney Todd and his Oscar-nominated turn in The Trial of the Chicago 7, and his ability to juggle the two genres makes him perfect for a Marvel villain. It was previously rumored that Cohen might be playing a role in the Ironheart series, so whether he appears in Agatha or Ironheart, you won’t hear us objecting ⏤ especially if the role he ultimately plays comes complete with a lot of red and spiky black hair.

7. Al Pacino

This choice might be a tad older than what Marvel Studios is looking for, but you can’t deny that Al Pacino would be an excellent Mephisto. You likely know the Oscar-winning actor from his roles in The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, and Scent of a Woman, and we already know he can pull off a devilish character following his turn in The Devil’s Advocate to see that. Again, Marvel is probably looking for somebody a bit younger to play the role in more than one project, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have the demon change his appearance (you know, like Marvel could have done with Kang) and get at least one Pacino version of the character. Just like being killed by your cat, it’s unlikely, but not impossible.

6. Bryan Cranston

You know who would make a terrific Mephisto? Walter White himself, Bryan Cranston. If you don’t know him from Breaking Bad, you might recognize him from Malcolm in the Middle, Argo, or his newest series, Your Honor. If we’ve learned anything from Cranston’s performance as White, it’s that he has range ⏤ range enough to go from playing a relatively normal person to a villain at the drop of a hat. It does seem weird that neither Marvel nor DC has tapped the actor for a role in either superhero franchise, at least that we know about, but if Marvel gets to him first, we’ve got our money on him playing a meanie. Cranston would bring customary depth to Mephisto, which is why we wouldn’t be mad if he stuck around for several MCU appearances.

5. Denzel Washington

Known for his roles in Fences, The Equalizer, Glory, American Gangster, and Malcolm X, Denzel Washington would make an unprecedented Mephisto. He might not be the most conventional choice for the role, as he doesn’t resemble the comic book version of the character, but if you simplify Mephisto down to his actions and nature, Washington would be more than able to execute. Like Penn, however, he’s an actor whose prestige might stop him from snagging a role in a superhero film, or he might not have been offered the right opportunity. Either way, Mephisto would be the perfect character for Washington to portray, as it would allow him to chew on some scenery and inhabit one of the best villains the MCU has to offer.

4. Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy is best known for his roles in The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Venom. He’s proven himself to be a versatile actor with performances that often sizzle with a raw, visceral energy. Given how iconic his version of Bane became (who can forget that voice?), his portrayal of Mephisto would inevitably be as charismatic as it would be terrifying. Hardy’s chameleonic ability as an actor (how charming was he in Inception?) would allow him to explore the many layers of Mephisto’s character, from his cunning manipulations to his underlying malevolence. Whether he’s delivering sly, devilish quips or unleashing his full wrath, Hardy could easily become one of the most memorable faces to battle the Avengers, especially after playing the lovable Eddie Brock for six years.

3. Joaquin Phoenix

The people’s Joker is about to make an epic on-screen return in the form of Joker: Folie à Deux, but that doesn’t mean Joaquin Phoenix is limited only to DC villainy. He did such a captivating job bringing Arthur Fleck to life that he won a freaking Oscar for his performance, and that kind of gravitas should not be confined to only one superheroic universe. Sure, it would likely cost Marvel a pretty penny, but Phoenix would be a natural fit for the MCU’s Mephisto. You already know he’d bring a unique take to the table ⏤ so unique, in fact, that it has the potential to blow previous villainous appearances like Josh Brolin’s Thanos and Cate Blanchett’s Hela out of the water. Whether or not Phoenix would be willing to step into another big bad’s shoes is another story, but if he did decide to embrace Mephisto, it would truly be our gain.

2. Javier Bardem

Oh, Javier. That trident-wielding, eat-pray-loving, No Country For Old Men James Bond baddie. The guy can do it all, and has. He’s an Oscar-winning phenomenon who gives every fiber of his being to every role he plays. Javier Bardem as Mephisto? Sweetie. You know that would be next-level. Bardem is no stranger to villainy, and at this point in his career, it would be refreshing for him to find the deliciously devilish notes in Mephisto as opposed to going directly for the jugular like he tends to with his bad guys. Bardem would be adept at balancing the darkness with the wicked glee, both of which are crucial for embodying this character. He’s already got that sinister gleam in his eye; now he just needs the chance to unleash the devil within.

1. Keanu Reeves

Ladies and gentlemen, our #1 choice for Mephisto: the one and only Keanu Reeves. He’s no stranger to brooding rabble-ros, but as time has shown us, we tend to see playing the hero. How refreshing would it be to see him swoop in and wreak utter havoc in the MCU? In this character’s shoes, he would have the opportunity to throw the Neo and John Wick rulebooks out the window and start a fresh era as the last guy you’d want to meet in a dark alley. Now that Jonathan Majors is officially done as Kang, it’s time for someone else to step up as the multi-project big bad before Robert Downey Jr. makes his grand reappearance and dominates the MCU all over again. Reeves is that person, and he has the star (and staying) power to dominate at least a few series and films before Downey’s Doom takes the mantle (or partners up with him so they can take over the universe together ⏤ could you imagine?). Whoever becomes Mephisto, any one of these 12 actors would make excellent choices. Now we just need Marvel to knock it off with the breadcrumbs and commit to bringing this demon to the screen already.

April 25 might be a simple weekday in most people’s lives, but it marks some massive events in entertaining history. That’s because April 25 is the birthday of a Hollywood legend and the beginning of a production that would change the world forever. As we look back and reflect on how each day is vital for pop culture, here are some things worth ing.

Happy birthday, Al Pacino

Alfredo James Pacino was born on April 25, 1940. Al Pacino – as he would be known everywhere – revolutionized cinema by starring in one of the best movies ever made, The Godfather. He would also return for the arguably better sequel, The Godfather Part II, and the underrated threequel, The Godfather Part III. The fact that Al Pacino got an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in all three chapters of the trilogy should serve as proof of his immeasurable talent. 

That barely scratches the surface of Al Pacino’s prominent career, as he was nominated for the same Academy Award in dozens of other movies, such as Heat, Scarface, Insomnia, The Devil’s Advocate… The list goes on! The star only got a single Academy Award for Best Actor – for his role in Scent of a Woman – which doesn’t reflect his performances’ impact on millions of people. That is already reason enough for celebrating April 25, when one of the best actors in history came to life.

Nicki Minaj’s theatrical debut happened on April 25

On April 25, 2014, The Other Woman hit theaters. This unusual rom-com follows Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and Kate Upton as three women who discover they are dating the same men. The triple treason gives the trio reason enough to forces and each other while getting revenge against the bastard who lied to them. The Other Woman is also important because it marks Nicki Minaj’s first film credit.

Nicki Minaj began her prolific career as a rapper, singer, and songwriter in 2004. However, it would take her 10 years to appear on the silver screen. That happened on April 25, another peculiar event that helps make the date relevant.

The Avengers visited New Mexico when the MCU was still crawling

Nowadays, it’s impossible to imagine a filmmaking landscape where the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t exist. Disney’s profitable franchise has set the tone for other studios to build their IPs, and few projects have been so influential as the MCU. While 2008’s Iron Man kicked off this ambitious multi-film story, it wasn’t until 2012’s The Avengers that all loose threads were tied, and people everywhere could bask in the glory of a record-breaking superhero project that transformed niche characters into mainstream icons.

As it turns out, principal photography for The Avengers began on April 25 in New Mexico. Curiously, New Mexico had already been the home for 2011’s Thor before welcoming the other Avengers, as it’s there that the Prince of Asgard landed after being banished from the Norse paradise. It’s funny to look back and think about how the stakes were high, and The Avengers‘ failure could mean the MCU’s premature death. The Avengers was such a game changer that Disney can now keep releasing lukewarm movies and TV shows without killing the franchise. It all started on April 25, when the cameras rolled to capture the Mightiest Heroes of the Earth together in live-action for the first time.

As predicted, Oppenheimer took home the lion’s share of Oscar wins on Sunday night. Although, whilst announcing the film’s win for Best Picture, legendary actor Al Pacino made a minor slip up that broke Oscar’s tradition.

Oppenheimer won seven of the 13 Oscars it was nominated for, Aside from Best Picture, the film scored awards for lead actor Cillian Murphy as well as an award for Robert Downey Jr. for best ing actor. The award for Best Picture was announced at the end of the ceremony as usual, this year The Godfather actor, Al Pacino was there to announce the winner.

What did Al Pacino do?

Typically the Best Picture award would be given a little bit of a dramatic build up, there would be some tension, all the nominees for the category would be announced first and then after a bit more waiting, the winner would be announced. Although Pacino was having none of that this year as he skipped straight to announcing Christopher Nolan’s biopic as the winner. You can see the clip for yourself here.

To be fair, he built it up a little bit, teasing the audience as he opened the envelope, but it all fell apart when, as soon as he opened the envelope he announced, ‘my eyes see Oppenheimer.’ The whole thing happens pretty fast, and it’s almost underwhelming, you can hear the people in the crowd actually processing the fact that they just heard the winner as the clapping and cheering take a moment to start in full. They were all probably recovering from whiplash thanks to Pacino’s speedy announcement.

Why exactly did he do that? It’s not clear, it seems like in the excitement of the moment he may have just forgotten the usual procedure; or maybe he just didn’t feel like playing the Academy’s game this year. He’s 83 after all, perhaps he just wanted an early night, which he certainly got as his slip-up meant that the awards ceremony didn’t run late for the first time in years, in fact, they were able to wrap it all up a few minutes early.

Mistakes like this seem par for the course at the Oscars

If you know anything about the history of the Academy Awards then you’ll know that this is nothing compared to past dramas at the ceremony. The infamous Will Smith slap took the world by storm a couple of years ago. Although this incident reminded many of the 2017 Best Picture drama in which Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty announced the wrong winner, claiming La La Land won the award over Moonlight, assuming it was a misprint. Of course, Pacino’s mistake doesn’t come anywhere near the level of sheer second-hand embarrassment many felt watching the 2017 Oscars, but it was still a funny little moment that got people talking.

This film — based on Carlito’s Way and After Hours, novels by Edwin Torres — starts off in a courtroom with an epic speech by sworn-reformed Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino) to the judge who convicted him for dealing heroin five years ago. The diatribe sets up the story for us, and explains that Carlito’s lawyer, David Kleinfeld (Sean Penn) was able to get him off on a technicality.

What becomes obvious as the story unfolds is that David most likely sprung Carlito to have an accomplice in his own perilous criminal venture, a fact that he never shared with the retired career criminal. As Carlito tries and fails to keep his nose clean, he reconnects with old love Gail (Penelope Ann Miller), a ballerina and part-time topless dancer.

John Leguizamo appears as Benny Blanco from the Bronx — a pimp-rolling, garishly styled, up-and-coming gangster in the making — a role which he claims informed his acting style in a way that he carried with him into other projects.

Featuring a cameo by Viggo Mortensen, lifetime bit-parter Luis Guzman, Silver Linings Playbook‘s John Ortiz, and the late Rick Aviles, the bandwidth required to play these enigmatic characters would cure any aspiring actor’s hankering for meatier roles. With a screenplay that reportedly Brian De Palma “didn’t even want to read… I didn’t want to return to this terrain again,” one could venture to say that gangster films were experiencing a renaissance.

The 1993 Al Pacino classic, Carlito’s Way is getting a special 4K Blu-ray release on Sept. 26, 2023 with special features, including:

4K dual format limited edition content

• Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Obviously Creative

• Double-sided fold-out poster featuring newly-commissioned artwork by Tom Ralston and Obviously Creative

• Seven double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions

• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw and original production notes

Disc 1: Feature (4K Ultra HD Blu-ray)

• 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) presentation in High Dynamic Range

• Original stereo, 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-X audio

• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Brand-new audio commentary by Matt Zoller Seitz, author of The Wes Anderson Collection and The Soprano Sessions 
• Brand-new audio commentary by Dr. Douglas Keesey, author of Brian De Palma’s Split-Screen: A Life in Film

Disc 2: Features and extras (Blu-ray)

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation

• Original stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• Brand new audio commentary by Matt Zoller Seitz

• Brand new audio commentary by Dr Douglas Keesey

• Carlito and the Judge, a brand new interview with Judge Edwin Torres, author of the novels Carlito’s Way and After Hours on which the screenplay for Carlito’s Way is based

• Cutting Carlito’s Way, a brand new interview with editors Bill Pankow and Kristina Boden

• De Palma’s Way, a brand new appreciation by film critic David Edelstein

• All the Stitches in the World: The Locations of Carlito’s Way, a brand new look at the New York locations of Carlito’s Way and how they look today

• De Palma on Carlito’s Way, an archival interview with director Brian De Palma

• The Making of Carlito’s Way, an archival documentary on the making of the film, produced for the original DVD release

• Deleted scenes

• Original promotional featurette

• Theatrical teaser and trailer

• Image gallery

Sure to scintillate any hardcore cineaste, De Palma fan, or Pacino aficionado, the price as of this writing for the 2-disc set is $39.99.

Sylvester Stallone turns 77 years old today, and the man most known for playing the parts of underdog boxer Rocky Balboa and PTSD-ridden soldier John Rambo has had plenty to celebrate career-wise during his long time under the spotlight.

It hasn’t always been plain sailing for him when it comes to being in the public eye, and like all men in Hollywood over a certain age (and most under that age, too) there are serious and very dark question marks around his past behavior, but from a critical and box office standpoint it’s been a knockout few decades for Stallone. And, to underline this is a brilliant bit of Oscar-related trivia that showcases just how iconic he was as Rocky.

The interesting Acadamey Award tidbit about Stallone is that he’s one of just six actors to be nominated for an Oscar twice for playing the same character in two separate films. The first nomination, for Best Actor, came in 1977 after he starred in the original Rocky (he also received a nomination for Best Screenplay, as he wrote the film himself). His second came for Best ing Actor in 2016, after he reprised the role of Balboa for the film Creed. Considering the runaway critical and commercial success of the franchise, is it any wonder Stallone keeps pumping them out?

The other five actors who’ve been nominated for two Oscars for playing the same role in separate films are also screen and stage legends, cementing Stallone’s legacy.

Al Pacino, Paul Newman, and Cate Blanchett round out the list of famous names.

So, not exactly the worst company in the world for old Sly. However, it gets even more special if you dig a little deeper because it turns out Stallone is just one of three actors who has received both a Best ing Actor and Best Actor nomination for the same character. ing him is Pacino as Michael Corleone, and completing the list is the irrepressible Irish stage actor Barry Fitzgerald.

Funnily enough, Fitzgerald received both nominations for the same movie, one we’ve already mentioned in this article: Going My Way. In it, he played the grouchy, traditionalist Father Fitzgibbon, who clashes with Crosby’s O’Malley throughout the film. The Academy changed the rules about nominations after Fitzgerald was put up for both main male acting awards, making sure that in the future, someone couldn’t receive dual nominations for the same role in the same year.

In case you forgot, Robert Di Niro isn’t the only one in the business of debuting babies while the world is sure he is done reliving the memories of changing diapers, as Al Pacino has finally nabbed his crown as the oldest dad in Hollywood at the age of 83. 

As per a recent report by TMZ, The Godfather star’s current girlfriend, Noor Alfallah (who is a producer and recently exec-produced the film Billy Knight – starring Pacino, Diana Silvers, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Charlie Heaton) has given birth. It has been some time since the couple was spotted by the outlet in Los Angeles. 

While this is Noor and Al Pacino’s first baby, this isn’t the first time he has been blessed with fatherhood. 

How many kids does Al Pacino have and who are they?

Counting his newborn, The Irishman star is now the father of four. Time to officially meet all the junior Pacinos:

Julie Marie Pacino

Al Pacino’s oldest child, 33-year-old Julie (born on Oct. 16, 1989) is his daughter with acting coach Jan Tarrant whom he dated in the late 1980s. Julie followed in the footsteps of her father and became an actor as well as a filmmaker. She runs two production companies — Poverty Row Entertainment and Tiny Apples — and has won awards including Best Director (Female) for her short film, Nowhere to Go at the Venice Short Film Awards in 2020.

In a chat with the New York Film Academy, she revealed how stepping into the world of entertainment had been her dream from the very beginning. 

“As a child I was always making little shorts with my friends and writing stories to act out. I visiting film sets as a kid and always being incredibly intrigued by the alternate reality that I was stepping into.”

Anton James Pacino and Olivia Rose Pacino

Born on Jan. 25, 2001, the twins are Al Pacino and actress Beverly D’Angelo’s children. While Anton is more of an obscure celebrity, Olivia is much more active on social media. The duo, along with Julie, also attended the 2020 Oscar ceremony with their father. 

Al Pacino’s child with Noor Alfallah

Like every parent, the couple is enjoying their new parenthood in private, so not much is known about the newborn at this point. But given how hush-hush the relationship was in the first place — not to mention how the first report of the pregnancy emerged in May 2023, when Noor was already eight months pregnant — don’t expect Pacino to start sharing pictures of the baby anytime soon. 

Martha Stewart threw some shade this morning on Today with Hoda and Jenna, mostly reserved for Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.

During her visit to the show, Stewart discussed everything from her love life, collecting baskets, and why she seriously dislikes working remotely. She took the time to be a part of a segment called “All Rise For Judge Martha” where Hoda and Jenna ask her about a variety of other things so that she can give her judgment.

Toward the end of the segment, she gave her honest response to a question about Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. First, when Jenna Busch asked her about the ongoing online debate about which of the actors were hotter — young Robert De Niro or young Al Pacino — Stewart said, “Brad Pitt beats them all,” before actually answering specifically, “Robert De Niro was not as attractive as Al Pacino as a young boy.”

Hoda Kotb then asked Stewart what her verdict is on both Pacino and De Niro having children, considering Pacino is 83 years old and De Niro is 79. De Niro was on the show last week and gave his response to Pacino’s news as producers gave De Niro a gift for the newborn.

81-year-old Martha Stewart, who was praised last month for being on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, wasn’t quick to compliment the two men her age on their looks. She replied, “I just saw both of them and they’re like…alright.” She made sure that her “alright” was spoken in a less than complimentary way, almost with a shrug of the shoulders. It’s as if she was struggling to be positive. It’s a shame she couldn’t afford them the same positivity people afforded her for posing in a swimsuit at what is basically the same age as De Niro and Pacino.

Of course, her lack of positivity was motivated by the discussion being about parenting at such an age. “They’re a little old,” she said, unable to contain herself. Hoda and Jenna laughed at her response.

Not enough shade? No problem. She decided to rhetorically ask, “Don’t you want to see your kids graduate from college?”

Martha didn’t seem too enthused about Al and Robert being fathers at this time in their respective lives and wasn’t able to offer her congratulations, but at least she ended with her best well wishes. “Good luck to both of them,” she concluded.

Stewart is likely just saying what most people are thinking, but with a touch of cruel shade. Stewart is on a campaign of criticism, recently throwing shade at for the country letting workers take a month’s vacation per year.

Maybe De Niro and Pacino can pose in bathing suits next just to see Martha lose her mind.

Al Pacino has been in the spotlight for over five decades, but the recent headlines have been a little different. Instead of promoting a new film or discussing his legendary career, the actor is hashing out drama with his 29-year-old girlfriend, Noor Alfallah.

News broke that Alfallah was pregnant with Pacino’s child on Tuesday, and the internet, understandably, had a field day. They were shocked to learn that the actor, who just turned 83, was capable of having a child, let alone actively trying to have one. There were plenty of memes and comparisons to Pacino’s buddy, Robert De Niro, who just had a child at 79. The more we learn about Alfallah’s pregnancy, however, the more questions Pacino seems to have.

Pacino reportedly demanded that Alfallah take a DNA test to make sure the child is his. Sources close to the actor told TMZ that he has medical issues that would typically prevent a man of his age from having children, so he was as surprised as the rest of the world when he found out. Alfallah agreed to the DNA test, and lo and behold, the child is Pacino’s.

This will be the actor’s fourth child after Julie, Anton, and Olivia Pacino. Julie was born to Pacino and acting coach Jan Tarrant on October 16, 1989. While she got her start in acting, Julie has preferred to spend most of her Hollywood career working as a director and producer. Her latest short film, Brainstorm, was released in 2022.

Anton and Olivia are twins that Pacino had with actress Beverly D’Angelo on January 25, 2001. Neither child works in Hollywood, which makes sense given their young age, but Olivia is active on social media and sometimes includes her famous parents. She posted a photo of her and Pacino for the latter’s 81st birthday.

Pacino prefers to keep the details of his personal life under wraps, but when he does discuss his children, he makes a point of highlighting how they changed his life. “Kids changed my perspective,” he itted. Before I had my three, I’d walk around in my own head, not noticing anything. Acting used to be everything; now, because of them, it’s just a small part.”

Furthermore, the Oscar winner told The Guardian it took longer to be ready for fatherhood because of his own upbringing. He revealed that his parents divorced when he was two, and his father was absent from his life, leading to a desire for a father figure in teachers and older actors. “I wanted to be different with my children,” he asserted. “I wanted to be responsible to them, so I divide my time between two coasts.”

Pacino has never been married, despite dating an impressive array of women over the years. He had romances with the aforementioned Tarrant and D’Angelo, as well as Diane Keaton, Kathleen Quinlan, and Tuesday Weld. He dated Israeli actress Meital Dohan from 2018 to 2020, before settling down with Alfallah, who works as a producer, in April 2022. Alfallah is currently eight months pregnant.