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Al Pacino’s filmography is packed with iconic performances, but there’s one movie in his career that left a sour taste. Released in 1980, the film saw Pacino playing an undercover cop infiltrating New York’s underground gay scene to catch a serial killer. The role came with a hefty paycheck, but according to Pacino, it also came with a side of regret.
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather | Paramount PicturesCritics and LGBTQ+ activists slammed Cruising for its portrayal of gay culture, sparking protests that haunted the film’s release. Pacino himself later admitted he was uncomfortable with how the movie depicted the LGBTQ+ community, calling it a misstep in his career.
Al Pacino Donated His Cruising Paycheck, Calling the Film a Humiliation to the LGBTQ+ Community
Al Pacino in William Friedkin’s Cruising (1980) | Credits: Lorimar Film EntertainmentAl Pacino dropped a bombshell in his memoir Sonny Boy. Turns out, he took his fat paycheck from the 1980 flick Cruising—and handed it over to charity. Why? Well, Pacino said he felt the film humiliated the LGBTQ+ community. Pacino gave away the cash in a trust fund to do some actual good instead of pocketing it. He revealed,
I took the money, and it was a lot, and I put it in an irrevocable trust fund. I gave it to charities, and with the interest, it was able to last a couple of decades. I don’t know if it eased my conscience, but at least the money did some good.
Back when he was 39, Pacino was all about pushing the envelope, signing up to work with director William Friedkin. The $19M flick, Cruising, threw him into New York’s gay scene as an undercover cop hunting a serial killer. But as soon as they started filming, protestors hit the set, worried the movie would totally misrepresent the LGBTQ+ community.
Pacino said he didn’t see Cruising as exploitative at first, but when the final cut rolled, reality hit hard. He didn’t even promote the movie; he just stayed quiet and let it be. Then he turned around and dropped his earnings into a charity fund, anonymously, just to keep things low-key. Pacino asserted,
I just wanted one positive thing to come out of that whole experience.
Director Friedkin later admitted Cruising wasn’t exactly a win for gay rights but swore he never meant it that way. He also threw a bit of shade at Pacino, saying he gave him a rough time on set, even hinting that he originally wanted Richard Gere in the role.
Al Pacino Opened Up About His Most Embarrassing Childhood Injury
Francis Ford Coppola saw Al Pacino as Michael Corleone for The Godfather | Paramount PicturesIn his memoir, Sonny Boy, he spilled about one of the most embarrassing experiences of his life—and trust us, it’s a doozy. Picture this: 10-year-old Pacino tightrope-walking a thin iron fence on a rainy day, feeling like a champ. And then, wham! He slipped, landing right on that bar, and let’s just say his legs weren’t the only thing hurting. “I could hardly walk,” he admitted. Ouch.
He was in so much pain he couldn’t even make it home. Luckily, a stranger scooped him up and carried him to his aunt’s place, where his mom, aunt, and grandma all fussed over him while he lay there with his pants down. In Sonny Boy, Pacino also dished on his wild side, calling himself a pro at cheating death on a regular basis.
Watch Cruising on Amazon Prime & Apple TV.
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