April 28, 2025: At the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony, veteran actor Robert De Niro took a moment to express his heartfelt gratitude to legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. De Niro thanked Coppola for not casting him in the original The Godfather film, which, in hindsight, turned out to be a stroke of luck for his career.
During the gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, De Niro humorously recalled how not being cast in the 1972 classic was “the best job I ever, never got.” He further explained that this initial setback led to his iconic role as young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II, a performance that would go on to win him his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. De Niro said, “Francis, thank you for not casting me in The Godfather. It was the best job I ever, never got. And it meant I was available for The Godfather Part II.”
De Niro’s portrayal of the young Vito Corleone was widely acclaimed and is considered one of the most defining roles of his career. His brilliant performance in The Godfather Part II elevated his status in Hollywood, and it was this role that marked the beginning of his iconic career trajectory.
In addition to De Niro’s praise, The Godfather star Al Pacino also took the stage to honor Coppola, calling him an inspiration. Pacino quoted Coppola, saying, “The things you do when you’re young that you get fired for, are the same things that years later, they give you lifetime achievement awards for.” Pacino, who starred alongside De Niro in The Godfather franchise, expressed his gratitude by saying, “Thank you, Francis, for believing in me even more than I believed in myself.”
The AFI Life Achievement Award is the highest honor in film, celebrating an individual’s outstanding contribution to the world of cinema. Coppola’s films, including The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, are hailed as some of the greatest in film history. He joins a prestigious group of past honorees such as Nicole Kidman, Julie Andrews, and Denzel Washington.
The evening was a celebration of Coppola’s incredible legacy, and the tributes from De Niro and Pacino were a testament to the profound impact he has had on the careers of some of Hollywood’s greatest stars.