Marlon Brando[1] didn’t want to work with acting rookie Gianni Russo on “The Godfather” and tried to get him fired — until Russo threatened to kill him.
Russo, who played Carlo Rizzi in the Francis Ford Coppola classic, tells in his memoir, “Hollywood Godfather,[2]” how Brando cornered him during a break and started asking about his résumé.
“Brando finally realized that I had zero experience in the acting game. I could tell he was upset. He turned to Francis Ford Coppola,” Russo writes.
Russo quotes Brando as saying, “Francis, this guy married my [character’s] daughter, sells out the family and is instrumental in getting my boy Sonny [James Caan] killed. This part needs to be given to an experienced actor. You should reconsider who has this part.”
“I put my arm around Brando,” Russo writes, “and ushered him into a corner. I got right in his face, but kept my voice subdued. ‘Who the f - - k are you to try to do this to me? I’ll cut your heart out, you rat motherf - - ker. I’m part of this picture whether you like it or not, you c - - ksucker.’
“Brando stared at me for what seemed like a minute . . . ‘Man, you’re f - - king good,’ he said. ‘I take back what I said. You’ve got great acting chops.’ ”
References
- ^ Marlon Brando (pagesix.com)
- ^ Hollywood Godfather, (www.amazon.com)