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.
I was told that the character Andy Garcia played was aborted in the book.
Oh, sorry, I thought you were talking about Michael’s kids. Yeah, you’re right. Lucy Mancini did abort Sonny’s kid in the book.
On a related note, I recall that Mario Puzo named the novel’s abortionist character Dr Jules Segal after his former colleague, fellow author Jules Siegel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Siegel
I do think that with the abortion storylines in both the novel and movie, Puzo was making the point that abortion was homicide analogous to the murders of convenience carried out by the gangsters.
I couldn't stand the character (Kay), either, but Keaton must've played the role just as Coppola wanted her to. This site claims Mia Farrow, Blythe Danner, and Michelle Phillips (of the Mamas and Pappas) also were considered for the role.
My father is a Godfather aficionado who’s read all the books, the spinoff novelizations and anything else he could find. He claims that Kay had a miscarriage but told Michael it was an abortion to hurt him.
I agree with that 100% She played the part exactly as they wanted her to. I still hate watching all the parts of those movies with the whiny, rather stupid Kay character in them. That I got that kind of repellent reaction is probably just what Coppola and Mario Puzo wanted us to think about Kay. I read the book before I watched the Godfather and I don’t remember the Kay character being so hard to stand though. I think Diane Keaton in some ways brought that out in the movie.
I always did, too.
Damn skippy… TWICE each day…
Ridiculous criticism. She was playing a WASP, not an Italian-American. Very reserved, repressed, “bland” culture, perfectly expressed in her “naïve” comment to Michael. She nailed it.
The abortion reveal came at the end of Godfather I. Sonny's out-of-wedlock son (played by Andy Garcia) and Michael's son's career as an opera singer don't show up until Godfather III.
The criticisms of Sophia Coppola were terribly unfair. She was the perfect Italian-American princess—a daughter, not a movie star—the second generation born in America and third generation living in America. Anyone expecting her to look like a Northern European princess or speak like a goombah's camare was off base -- her looks were on point, and her speaking voice and accent were typical of the third generation who were sheltered and privileged.
Diane Keaton's role in Godfather III was seriously undermined by whomever styled her hair and clothing. Both were ridiculous—the cheap brassy perm, the flashy satin fabrics, the gold colors—and entirely out of character. A woman of Kay Adams' background would have been wearing Ralph Lauren and have a sleek blow dry hairstyle. Not her fault; but most unfortunate.
Maybe Sonny went back for more.
You nailed it. The storyline was deep; the trilogy was a significant piece of American literature, not just cheap entertainment.
Yeah, WASP culture is like that on TV and in the movies. In reality WASPs--an ignorant term, really--have as much culture as anyone else, and it's no more "bland" or "repressed" than any other culture, just different.
But what is bland? Is it just something you're used to seeing? Something you grew up around? I think so. There's nothing inherently bland about any culture, and nothing inherently rich or exciting.
Of COURSE some cultures are more bland than others. Just as some cultures are BETTER than others. Bland is not bad. I spent seven years in a prep school that was half-WASP, and grew up in Connecticut, which has plenty of WASPs.
I think of Harry Lime’s speech in the Third Man:
“Don’t be so gloomy. After all, it’s not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. So long, Holly.”
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