The actors who starred in The Godfather trilogy have had very profitable careers exterior of Francis Ford Coppola’s masterful crime saga, and their finest motion pictures show that. The solid of The Godfather was stuffed with each established actors and new stars that the trilogy created. The actors who made The Godfather work proved again and again that it wasn’t simply the franchise’s unimaginable scripts and legendary directing that made it probably the greatest motion pictures of all time, but in addition their performances.
The sheer vary and high quality of flicks that the celebs of The Godfather made after their time with the Corleone household is sort of spectacular. From a number of the finest romantic comedies ever made to iconic sports activities motion pictures, legendary battle dramas, and even horror movies, there was primarily no restrict to what the solid may accomplish. Nonetheless, nonetheless, solely 10 movies could be thought of the perfect of every of The Godfather’s actors’ careers exterior the franchise. These 10 greater than stepped out of The Godfather’s shadow, and so they made fairly a reputation for themselves and their actors.
10 Al Pacino – Warmth (1995)
Pacino’s Vincent Hanna Is A A lot Extra Intense & Unnerving Efficiency Than Michael
The Godfather turned Al Pacino into one of the vital recognizable and beloved actors in Hollywood, so it is no shock that he has an extended checklist of nice motion pictures that got here after 1972. Of Al Pacino’s finest motion pictures, nonetheless, there’s one which stands out among the many relaxation, each due to its high quality by itself and due to how completely different his position in it’s from Michael Corleone. In 1995’s Warmth, Pacino performed Vincent Hanna, a high-strung and intensely unnerving LAPD detective tasked with monitoring down Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), two skilled thieves.
What makes Warmth the perfect Al Pacino film exterior The Godfather trilogy is its skill to showcase the actor’s extra ostentatious performing talents.
What makes Warmth the perfect Al Pacino film exterior The Godfather trilogy is its skill to showcase the actor’s extra ostentatious performing talents. As Michael, Pacino was capable of present he may command a scene with nothing greater than nuance, subtlety, and a well-tempered efficiency. As Vincent, Pacino proved he may command a scene via sheer drive, and that his screams and eccentric facial actions may mix to make an endlessly compelling character. Pacino’s position in Warmth could not be extra completely different from The Godfather, and it proves simply how a lot vary he has.
9 Marlon Brando – Apocalypse Now (1979)
Brando’s Filmography Is Crammed With Classics, However Apocalypse Now Comes Closest To The Godfather
Fairly just a few actors who appeared in The Godfather trilogy additionally seem on the checklist of the perfect actors of all time. Marlon Brando is one such entry, and he proved he belonged on that checklist effectively earlier than and effectively after his Oscar-winning efficiency in The Godfather. The most effective examples of why Brando is taken into account one of many greats is Apocalypse Now, one other Francis Ford Coppola movie. As Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, Brando commanded much more darkness than Vito Corleone did, and he sealed the darkish view of the atrocities of battle that Apocalypse Now was making an attempt to convey.
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In a single key method, The Godfather and Apocalypse Now are very comparable motion pictures for Brando. In each movies, he appeared in about quarter-hour of display screen time, but he stole the present in each. With just some scenes as Vito, Brando was capable of safe a Greatest Actor win, and with just some minutes as Kurtz, he was capable of ship one of many best monologs in movie historical past. Each Apocalypse Now and The Godfather confirmed that Brando was one of the vital environment friendly and efficient actors to ever take to the display screen.
8 James Caan – Distress (1990)
Although Kathy Bates Stole The Present, Caan Was Excellent In Distress
Stephen King’s Distress launched Kathy Bates’ profession, for good cause, however it additionally featured a surprising efficiency from James Caan. Bates will get many of the recognition for enjoying Annie Wilkes, the obsessive, unnerving, and hauntingly horrifying stalker. Caan, nonetheless, additionally deserved his flowers for enjoying novelist Paul Sheldon, and for giving Bates the room she wanted to make Annie such an iconic horror villain. It is onerous to quantify the power to make one other actor higher, however that is an necessary a part of performing that Caan completely nailed in Distress.
It is onerous to quantify the power to make one other actor higher, however that is an necessary a part of performing that Caan completely nailed in
Distress
.
Distress additionally gave Caan an opportunity to broaden the outer limits of his vary. For years each earlier than and after The Godfather, Caan was recognized for Westerns like El Dorado, comedies like Silent Film, and actioners like Rollerball. His efficiency in Distress, nonetheless, confirmed that he may do rather more than powerful and humorous guys: he may play a horror sufferer and sustain with the perfect to ever do it. Caan’s rising concern and desperation made Distress work, and there are only a few actors who have been as much as the duty apart from him.
7 Diane Keaton – Annie Corridor (1977)
Keaton Labored Extensively With Woody Allen To Nice Impact
Diane Keaton had an in depth relationship with comedy legend Woody Allen all through the Seventies, and the perfect product of their partnership was Annie Corridor. In probably the greatest romantic comedies ever made, Keaton performed the eponymous Annie Corridor, Alvy Singer’s (Allen) former lover. Keaton’s efficiency as Annie was extremely actual, human, and endlessly endearing, and Annie Corridor is usually touted as her best movie, generally even above The Godfather. That is a daring declare, and whereas Annie Corridor is not a greater film than The Godfather, it might be a greater Keaton efficiency.

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The Godfather trilogy has an enormous solid filled with a number of the finest performances, however solely 4 of the a whole lot of actors have been in all three motion pictures.
Another excuse Annie Corridor is considered one of Diane Keaton’s finest motion pictures, except for her efficiency, is how particular it was among the many romantic comedy style. Annie Corridor incorporates a wildly unique format of displaying Alvy reexamining his relationship with Annie after it has ended, and it options an equally unique and bittersweet ending of the 2 agreeing that they don’t seem to be proper for one another. It was a particular second within the historical past of rom-coms, and for that alone, it is considered one of Diane Keaton’s finest works exterior The Godfather trilogy.
6 Richard Brilliant – As soon as Upon A Time In America (1984)
Brilliant Performed Al Neri In All Three Godfather Motion pictures & Rooster Joe In As soon as Upon A Time In America
Most individuals could not acknowledge Richard Brilliant among the many solid of The Godfather, however he was one of many few actors to seem in all three movies within the trilogy. Brilliant performed Al Neri, one of the vital underrated and necessary components of Michael’s rise to energy. It is becoming, then, that Brilliant additionally performed an underrated position in Sergio Leone’s gangster epic As soon as Upon a Time in America. Brilliant portrayed hitman Rooster Joe, and As soon as Upon a Time in America truly gave him an opportunity to showcase his performing skills and put his status as a troublesome man to good use.
Though he isn’t probably the most distinguished character in As soon as Upon a Time in America, Richard Brilliant used his display screen time to great impact.
Though he isn’t probably the most distinguished character in As soon as Upon a Time in America, Richard Brilliant used his display screen time to great impact. From his introduction of making an attempt to burn a person to demise to his drive-by capturing, Rooster Joe was an excellent a part of the film. It highlights one thing The Godfather trilogy understood: even just a bit little bit of Brilliant goes a good distance. He was a grasp of elevating a scene simply via his presence, and As soon as Upon a Time in America confirmed that just about in addition to The Godfather did.
5 Talia Shire – Rocky (1976)
Shire’s Profession Misplaced No Momentum Thanks To The Rocky Franchise
Talia Shire is likely one of the few actors in The Godfather who was in one other equally profitable franchise afterward. Shire appeared in 5 of the Rocky motion pictures as Adrian Balboa, the eponymous boxer’s love curiosity and later spouse. The unique Rocky, nonetheless, was in all probability Shire’s finest efficiency within the franchise. The start of Adrian’s relationship with Rocky noticed her shy, timid, and withdrawn and ended together with her being daring sufficient to expire into the ring and embrace him. It was an excellent transformation in Adrian, and Shire’s performing made it work.

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Shire’s efficiency as Adrian additionally rivaled her work in The Godfather trilogy as a result of it showcased such a special aspect of the actor. Connie modified fairly a bit over the course of the three movies, and never essentially for the perfect, as she finally grew to become one of many Corleone household’s dons for a time. Adrian, then again, solely obtained higher as Rocky continued, and Shire was capable of present that she will be able to act simply as effectively in a healthful position as she will be able to in a gritty and darkish efficiency.
4 John Cazale – The Deer Hunter (1978)
The Deer Hunter Completed Out Cazale’s Spectacular 5-Film Run
John Cazale had one of the vital spectacular performing streaks ever, and the development that began with The Godfather ended with The Deer Hunter. Of the 5 feature-length movies Cazale appeared in, all 5 of them have been nominated for Greatest Image on the Academy Awards. That makes it onerous to choose simply considered one of Cazale’s motion pictures to name the perfect apart from The Godfather, however The Deer Hunter eked out its competitors. Alongside Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep, and Robert De Niro, Cazale created a masterful exploration of PTSD, the value of battle, and the impact it has on individuals who by no means even noticed a gunfight.
John Cazale’s Greatest Image Nominated Motion pictures
Title
Position
The Godfather
Fredo
The Dialog
Stan
The Godfather Half II
Fredo
Canine Day Afternoon
Sal
The Deer Hunter
Stan
As for Cazale personally, The Deer Hunter was additionally spectacular in just a few key methods. Whereas his position as Stanley was as smarmy and weasely as his position as Fredo, Cazale proved as soon as once more that he may play the position effectively. The Deer Hunter additionally gave Cazale an opportunity to indicate a lot greater and extra emphatic feelings than The Godfather did, corresponding to when De Niro’s character practically shoots him within the head. Plus, rounding out such a historic performing streak isn’t any small feat, however The Deer Hunter introduced Cazale’s file residence in spectacular style.
3 Robert Duvall – The Nice Santini (1979)
Duvall’s Efficiency As Bull Meechum Is Typically Cited As One Of His Greatest
The checklist of Robert Duvall’s finest motion pictures is sort of lengthy, and options fairly just a few compelling movies to select from. Arguably considered one of his finest performances after The Godfather, nonetheless, was in The Nice Santini, the place he performed Bull Meechum. Duvall’s efficiency as Meechum was a far cry from the calculating and logical position Tom Hagen performed because the Corleone household’s consigliere, however he expertly conveyed Meechum’s eccentricities. In actual fact, Meechum’s character is so distant from Tom’s that it looks as if they’re performed by two completely different actors, which is totally because of Duvall’s performing expertise.
Duvall’s efficiency as Meechum was so completely different from the roles he usually performed, from the authoritative and sometimes morally ambiguous characters he is recognized for.
Whereas Duvall does have some spectacular roles underneath his belt, corresponding to Euliss Dewey in The Apostle and Invoice Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, his position in The Nice Santini introduced one thing to the desk that his different motion pictures did not. Duvall’s efficiency as Meechum was so completely different from the roles he usually performed, from the authoritative and sometimes morally ambiguous characters he is recognized for. It is also considered one of Duvall’s most heartwarming and concurrently heartbreaking movies, which is an accomplishment that deserves credit score.
2 Andy Garcia – Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Garcia Performed On line casino Proprietor Terry Benedict In George Clooney & Brad Pitt’s Heist Film
Andy Garcia joined The Godfather within the trilogy’s closing film, however regardless of his late arrival, he would nonetheless go on to make just a few acclaimed motion pictures after. Certainly one of his finest and most beloved motion pictures was Ocean’s Eleven, the George Clooney and Brad Pitt-led heist film the place Garcia performed Terry Benedict. Terry was the goal of the heist each because of the on line casino he owned and operated and since he was in a relationship with Tess (Julia Roberts), Danny Ocean’s (Clooney) ex-wife.
Garcia is a completely compelling and intimidating villain in
Ocean’s Eleven
, and the heist film primarily works as proof that he may have performed the don of the Corleone household to great impact, if The Godfather Half III had solely given him extra time.
A part of why Ocean’s Eleven is such an excellent Andy Garcia film is as a result of it completed what The Godfather Half III did not in some ways. As Terry, Garcia was capable of play a mobster-adjacent position that wasn’t overshadowed by Al Pacino’s presence and wasn’t held again by exterior components. Garcia is a completely compelling and intimidating villain in Ocean’s Eleven, and the heist film primarily works as proof that he may have performed the don of the Corleone household to great impact, if The Godfather Half III had solely given him extra time.
1 Robert De Niro – Goodfellas (1990)
De Niro Is Accountable For Some Of The Greatest Gangster Motion pictures Of All Time
Robert De Niro is likely one of the most acclaimed actors of all time, so it isn’t straightforward to choose considered one of his movies that is simply pretty much as good as The Godfather Half II. From gangster motion pictures like On line casino to dramas like Raging Bull and Taxi Driver, there’s greater than sufficient gold in De Niro’s filmography. Goodfellas, nonetheless, is probably De Niro’s subsequent finest gangster film after The Godfather Half II, which is basically saying one thing. The truth that he may star in not one, however two of the perfect gangster motion pictures ever made is endlessly spectacular, and it reveals simply how dominant of an actor De Niro is.

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De Niro’s efficiency as Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas additionally gave him an opportunity to fully reinvent the concept of a gangster that he had helped create with The Godfather Half II. Gone was the stoic, virtually impassive younger Vito Corleone, and he had been changed by a nervous, emotional, and human man who cared about his mates and feared for his life and security. It was a stellar efficiency that was solely bolstered by the best way it elevated each Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta, and it is arguably Robert De Niro’s finest film exterior The Godfather trilogy.