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“I Didn’t Even Know What The Godfather was”: Getting Cast as a Hated Godfather Character Was the Last Thing Diane Keaton Expected
Fandomwire ^ | JUNE 6, 2024, | Laxmi Rajput

Posted on 06/06/2024 7:10:44 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Diane Keaton's surprising journey to starring in the iconic The Godfather trilogy.

-Diane Keaton landed her first major role in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather trilogy.

-However, the actress has shared that she never expected to land the part, as she had no knowledge about The Godfather.

-She was surprised when she got the call back about the role, as she did not expect to land a dramatic part. Featured Video

Diane Keaton, a celebrated Hollywood actress known for her remarkable talent and extensive career in the industry, has graced the screen in several hits such as Sleeper and Annie Hall. However, the first major part that earned her significant recognition came with that of Kay Adams-Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather.

After starring alongside Al Pacino in the first film, she would reprise her role in the subsequent sequels. However, the actress later acknowledged that she did not expect to land the part when she went in for the auditions.

Diane Keaton Had no Expectations About Landing The Godfather Role Diane Keaton took on the role of Kay Adams-Corleone, second wife of Michael Corleone, in The Godfather trilogy. While the actress seamlessly transformed into her character, Kay Admas has not been immune to criticism.

Fans have shared their criticism of the character calling her bland and uninteresting compared to the other members of the Corleone family. And the actress certainly wouldn’t have anticipated such a response to her character, considering she didn’t even expect to land the part.

In an interview, the Oscar winner shared insights into her casting process for the 1972 film. The actress shared that after making her Broadway debut and starring in films like Lovers and Other Strangers, she was advised to seek more opportunities through auditions.

SUGGESTED“1977 was her year”: Diane Keaton Looked Unbeatable at the Biggest Stage With 2 Oscar-Worthy Performances in 1 Year “1977 was her year”: Diane Keaton Looked Unbeatable at the Biggest Stage With 2 Oscar-Worthy Performances in 1 Year “Someone said to me, ‘You’ve got to go and audition for things,” she recalled as per AARP. After which, she went in and auditioned for Francis Ford Coppola’s acclaimed trilogy. However, Keaton entered the process without knowledge of the film’s premise or its literary source.

“So, I auditioned for the film, and I got the role of Kay Corleone,” she said while revealing, “I didn’t even know what The Godfather was.” The actress later reflected on the experience of securing a dramatic role despite her background in comedy, describing it as the “strangest thing” that ever happened to her.

Diane Keaton Described Landing The Godfather Role as “Strangest Thing” Ever Celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Godfather, Diane Keaton reflected on her audition for the 1972 film. Keaton, whose work mostly included comedy both on Broadway and in movies at the time, shared that she would constantly audition for several jobs when she went in for Francis Ford Coppola’s film as well.

The actress also shared that she was surprised when she got the call back about the role, as she did not expect to land a dramatic part. “I didn’t know what the movie was or anything,” she said in an Instagram post before adding, “I performed the script… and then I left.”

Admitted that she never envisioned herself in the role, the actress said,

Later, I heard that Francis Coppola wanted me to play the part. That’s when I realized that that was the strangest thing to ever happen to me in my whole life.”

After Giving Al Pacino a “Get Married or Break Up” Ultimatum, Diane Keaton Chose “More Adventurous Things” Over a Married Life The 78-year-old actress’ role in the movie might not be a fan favorite, but Keaton has enjoyed a remarkable and prolific career, having starred in numerous films and earning multiple accolades, including an Oscar for the 1977 film Annie Hall.


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: 70s; dianekeaton; donate; getajob; godfather; keaton; thegodfather; tightwad
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To: irishjuggler

She killed their baby and the reason was ridiculous. It didn’t fit the context of the movie. It felt like an out of place ham fisted message that Hollywood loves to sneak in.


21 posted on 06/06/2024 8:14:07 PM PDT by gibsonguy
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To: Chode

Apollonia was seriously hot…


22 posted on 06/06/2024 8:16:55 PM PDT by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: abigkahuna

She was picked for the part because of her looks but her acting, especially in the first movie, is cringeworthy.


23 posted on 06/06/2024 8:18:09 PM PDT by Reddy (BO stinks)
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To: nickcarraway

No, it was in the movie, not the book.
Cf.
https://youtu.be/_g9RI0GgRIQ

The characters had two born kids (boy and girl), and Kay aborted the 3rd (another son).


24 posted on 06/06/2024 8:18:58 PM PDT by irishjuggler
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To: nickcarraway

Kay was a hated character? Why? It’s not like they blew her up in a car on a sun-kissed estate.


Damn you, Fabrizio!


25 posted on 06/06/2024 8:19:04 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: nickcarraway

I always wondered about how she felt about that part. She never seemed right in it except it’s a girl selected to hate because she’s not Italian or all on board with the mob but meanwhile if you think about it, she’s murdered her own child using abortion.

So the Godfather is an anti-abortion movie!

Or is it an against wives going on ahead without their husband’s consent?

Or is it a film to make the guys in the Godfather look like they aren’t so bad, they only kill other bad guys in their group?


26 posted on 06/06/2024 8:20:24 PM PDT by Beowulf9
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To: nickcarraway

The one thing I HATED about the absolute EPIC Godfather movies was the moronic Diane Keaton character. She played a whiny simp of a woman who I just couldn’t stand.


27 posted on 06/06/2024 8:22:07 PM PDT by Bullish (...And just like that, I was dropped from the ping-list)
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To: irishjuggler; Dr. Sivana
Didn't characters who were aborted show up in Godfather III?
28 posted on 06/06/2024 8:23:53 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

I don’t blame her for not knowing much about the story. Even though the book was a best seller, it only came out in 1969. I still think that was rather fast for a book to make it to the big screen.

I like the story about a murder mystery movie she was in. Had a big budget and a well known director but it had a problem. The film editor didn’t like it. After much wrangling the director knew he was right. So they dropped the murder mystery angle, recut it, and Woody Allen gave us the first modern ROM-com, “Annie Hall.”


29 posted on 06/06/2024 8:38:32 PM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult (“History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes” - Possibly Mark Twain.)
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To: ClearCase_guy

nothing as repetitive, as repetition... 8^)


30 posted on 06/06/2024 8:43:08 PM PDT by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. #FJB)
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To: NFHale

31 posted on 06/06/2024 8:45:45 PM PDT by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. #FJB)
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To: nickcarraway

No, there’s a boy (Anthony) and a girl (Mary) in Godfather II and III.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Corleone

No aborted character comes back to life.


32 posted on 06/06/2024 8:51:38 PM PDT by irishjuggler
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To: nickcarraway

She was very good in a Ripped-From-The-Headlines, TV movie, “On Thin Ice,” about a mother who becomes a drug addict then works a dangerous undercover job to avoid prison: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345119/


33 posted on 06/06/2024 8:58:13 PM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14/12 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15/12 - 1030am - Obama team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: abigkahuna

“Michael was to have different life—one with a school teacher and living outside the family business—but all that changed.”

Michael Corleone was the original “Breaking Bad”.


34 posted on 06/06/2024 9:16:34 PM PDT by Stosh
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To: nickcarraway
Didn't characters who were aborted show up in Godfather III?

I don't know about the book, but the only abortion was Michael second son in Godfather II. Sonny's out-of-wedlock son has the conflict with Joey Zaza, and Michael's eldest son is the opera singer.
35 posted on 06/06/2024 9:27:25 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana (Stormy Daniels is a McGuffin)
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To: ClearCase_guy

LOL, SO true.


36 posted on 06/06/2024 9:32:14 PM PDT by peggybac (My will is what I wanted. God's will is what I got.)
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To: nickcarraway

Diane Keaton’s portrayal of Kay was the second weakest of any actor in any of the three films. First, and she only appeared in the last, was Sophia Coppola. No fault of her own. She simply wasn’t an actress. Pretty good director, as it turned out, but she couldn’t even have been described as an amateur actress. Just the director’s kid. I felt sorry for the critical abuse she took. In Keaton’s case she was just horribly miscast.


37 posted on 06/06/2024 9:32:39 PM PDT by katana
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To: nickcarraway

She was the only character that wasn’t evil in the entire movie. She wasn’t hated, she was sympathetic and how could feel anything other than sympathy for her?

This analysis is total BS.


38 posted on 06/06/2024 9:35:32 PM PDT by jerod (Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
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To: nickcarraway

OMG, OMG THE CAST DID NOT KNOW THAT THE MOVIE WAS ABOUT THE ......MAFIA.

HOW STIPID IS THAT. IT JUST PROVES THAT HE INTELLIGENCE ON THE LEFT IS ...SORRY TO SAY IT...STUPID WITH ABSOULTELY NO CONCEPT OF ...UNEXPEDED CONSEQUENCES.


39 posted on 06/06/2024 9:50:41 PM PDT by Maris Crane
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To: jerod

As people pointed out on this thread, she had an abortion, while married, so some may disagree with you.


40 posted on 06/06/2024 11:35:26 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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