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Get ready to kiss the ring.
There are few film series as celebrated in cinema asThe Godfather,Francis Ford Coppola's decades-spanning crime saga inspired byMario Puzo's 1969 novel of the same name.The Godfatherwas the first in the trilogy, premiering earlier in New York City before its wide release in the U.S. on March 24, 1972. It introduced moviegoers to the Corleones, a Mafia family led by patriarch Vito (Marlon Brando). Through the film's ensuing drama, Vito turns over the reins of the business to his youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino).
The Godfather Part IIhit theaters in the U.S. on Dec. 20, 1974, continuing the story of the Corleone family. This time, however, it split its storytelling into both a prequel and a sequel to the original: The story follows Michael's reign as the new Don and how his father, a young Vito (Robert De Niro), builds the family business.
After years of Paramount Pictures asking Francis to resume the family's story, the filmmaker finally agreed.The Godfather Part IIIwas released on Dec. 25, 1990, following its premiere in Beverly Hills on Dec. 20, concluding the Mafia-centric epic.
While all three movies are revered, the first two won Best Picture at theAcademy Awards, and the Library of Congress selected the original and second installment for preservation in theU.S. National Film Registry. Thanks to a 2020 edited version,The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, Francis' thirdGodfatherfilm endured a cultural re-examination.
To celebrate the 51st anniversary ofThe Godfather Part II, here's everything to know about where the cast of the franchise is today.
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone
Paramount Pictures; Kevin Mazur/WireImage
After getting his start on Broadway, Brando transitioned to movies, where he later earned Best Actor Oscar nominations forA Streetcar Named Desire(1951),Viva Zapata!(1952),Julius Caesar(1953) andSayonara(1957). In 1955, hetook home a statuetteforOn the Waterfrontbefore he was cast inThe Godfatheras Mafia boss Don Vito Corleone.
The role revitalized Brando's career, yielding him a second Oscar for Best Actor, though he famouslyrefused the awardto protest the film industry'streatment of Native Americans.
Brando contributed to many of his character's defining traits inThe Godfather, including his iconic voice and mannerisms. He evenhad a hand in his character's deathscene.
"As for Brando himself, what an improviser!" Francis toldPlayboyfor its July 1975 issue (via Scraps from the Loft). "I told him at one point that I didn't really know how to shoot his final scene, just before he dies. What could we do to make his playing with his grandson believable? He said, 'Here's how I play with kids,' and took an orange peel, cut it into pieces that looked like fangs and slipped them into his mouth."
The Hollywood icon went on to earn Oscar nods forLast Tango in Paris(1972) andA Dry White Season(1989) and starred in the 1978 hitSuperman.He reunited with Francis for 1979'sApocalypse Nowand won anEmmyfor his role inRoots: The Next Generationsthat same year.
Brando's career slowed down in the '80s and '90s amid personal issues, though he parodied hisGodfatherrole in the 1990 comedyThe FreshmanoppositeMatthew Broderick.
Brandodied of lung failureat the age of 80 in July 2004; hehad at least 11 children.
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone
Paramount Pictures; Anna Webber/Getty
Francis struggled with casting the then-little-known Pacino in the lead role of Michael Corleone because thestudio initially refused. The casting decision was the right choice, resulting in a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Pacino at the 1973 Oscars.
In March 2022, Pacino toldThe New York Timeshe was "deeply honored" by the reverence the film has received over the years, adding that it's a piece of work he "was so fortunate to be in."
Following his iconic performance as Vito's youngest son and successor, Pacino received more Oscar nominations, includingSerpico(1973),The Godfather Part II(1974),Dog Day Afternoon(1975),...And Justice for All(1979),Dick Tracy(1990) andGlengarry Glen Ross(1992). He won his first for Best Actor for 1992'sScent of a Woman. Decades later, Pacino received another Best Supporting Actor nomination for 2019'sThe Irishman.
No stranger to crime dramas, Pacino's other major movie roles in the genre includeScarface(1983),Heat(1995) andHouse of Gucci(2021). The actor's legendary career also includes Emmy-winning performances on the 2003 limited seriesAngels in Americaand in the 2010 TV movieYou Don't Know Jack. Additionally, Pacino is aTony Awardrecipient for 1969'sDoes a Tiger Wear a Necktie?and 1977'sThe Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel. In 2007, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the American Film Institute and a Kennedy Center Honors in 2016.
From 2020 to 2023, Pacino led the cast of Prime Video's thriller seriesHuntersand was featured in several films throughout 2025 such asThe Ritual,Billy Knight,In the Hand of Dante,Dead Man's WireandEasy's Waltz.
Pacino is thefather of four kids: He shares daughter Julie, born in 1989, with ex-girlfriend Jan Tarrant and has twins withNational Lampoon's VacationactressBeverly D'Angelo, son Anton and daughter Olivia, both born in 2001. In 2023, hewelcomed son Romanwith ex-girlfriendNoor Alfallah.
Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone
Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstocmount Pictures; Depoilly X/Alpaca/Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty
De Niro was cast as the younger version of Vito Corleone, the character made famous by Brando, during the flashback sequences of the 1974 film. The actor spent months learning Sicilian to play the younger Vito, as nearly all of the character's dialogue is in the dialect.
De Niro won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the role — the first time in Oscars' history that two actors won an Academy Award for portraying the same character. He also won Best Actor for 1980'sRaging Bull.
Longrecognized as one of Hollywood's greatest actors, De Niro's career has included many critically acclaimed films, includingTaxi Driver(1976),The Deer Hunter(1978),The King of Comedy(1982),Awakenings(1990),Goodfellas(1990),Cape Fear(1991),Silver Linings Playbook(2012),The Irishman(2019) andKillers of the Flower Moon(2023), among others. He also led the casts of the 2023 seriesNadaand the 2025 Netflix political thrillerZero Day.
Like Pacino, De Niro was honored with the lifetime achievement award by the American Film Institute in 2003 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009. He was also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. The star has also been the driving force of theTribeca Film Festivalsince its inception in 2002.
De Niro was married to actress Diahnne Abbott from 1976 to 1988. He later married Grace Hightower in 1997, but theyseparated in 2018. De Niro isfather to seven children, includingdaughter Gia, whom hewelcomed in 2023with girlfriendTiffany Chen.
Talia Shire as Connie Corleone
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Talia Shireplayed Vito's only daughter, Connie, whose extravagant wedding scene opensThe Godfather.
The actress had only appeared in a few films before her brother, director Francis, cast her in his Mafia epic. She reprised her role inThe Godfather Part II— for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress — and TheGodfather Part III.
Shire's other notable role was as the love interest forSylvester Stallone'sRocky Balboain 1976'sRockyand its four sequels, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for the original film.
While those remain Shire's best-known roles, she also appeared in 2004'sI Heart Huckabeesandreunited with her brotherfor his 2024 filmMegalopolis. After a guest appearance on an episode ofAbbott Elementaryin 2024, the actress starred in the 2025Emmy-nominated flickNonnas, alongsideVince Vaughn,Susan SarandonandLorraine Bracco.
Shire was married to songwriter David Shire from 1970 to 1980 and then to film producer Jack Schwartzman from 1980 until his death in 1994. She has three children, including actorJason Schwartzmanand Rooney lead singerRobert Schwartzman.
Diane Keaton as Kay Adams-Corleone
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Diane Keatonhad only appeared in one feature film before playing Kay Adams, who becomes Michael's second wife, inThe Godfather.
The breakout role kicked off her career as one of Hollywood's most celebrated actresses. She reprised her role in the two sequels — at one point admitting thather opinion on the third installmenthad evolved over the years.
Keatonwon an Oscar for Best Actressfor another defining film of '70s Hollywood —Annie Hall(1977) — which was written and directed by her then-partner,Woody Allen.
Keaton has since received Oscar nominations forReds(1981),Marvin's Room(1996) andSomething's Gotta Give(2003). In addition to several collaborations with Allen, Keaton also starred inCrimes of the Heart(1986),Father of the Bride(1991),The First Wives Club(1996),The Family Stone(2005),Book Club(2018),Poms(2019),Maybe I Do(2023),BookClub: The Next Chapter(2023) andSummer Camp(2024).
The actress — who was as wellknown for her eccentric fashionas for her work on-screen — often doled out inspiring life advice.
"Don't take too much time on yourself," she told PEOPLE in April 2017. "Keep looking outward — that's where the amazing part of life is."
While she hadhigh-profile relationshipswith Allen, Pacino andWarren Beatty, Keaton never married. She hadtwo adopted children: daughter Dexter and son Duke.
Keatondied at the age of 79in October 2025, with her family revealing that shehad been battling pneumonia.
Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen
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Robert Duvall, who played Corleone family consigliere Tom Hagen, had been acting in films for a decade before being cast inThe Godfather, including starring inTo Kill a Mockingbird(1962),Bullitt(1968),True Grit(1969),M*A*S*H(1970) andTHX 1138(1971).
Though he had previously worked withJames Caanon Francis' 1969 filmThe Rain People, Duvall was one of four actors — the others were Pacino, Caan and even Brando — who flew to the director's home to do private screen tests forThe Godfather. He returned for a larger role inThe Godfather Part II, but he turned down starring inThe Godfather Part IIIdue to a pay dispute, and his character was written out of the film, per CBS News'60 Minutes.
He received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor forThe Godfatherand was named Best Actor for 1983'sTender Mercies. Duvall also earned Oscar nominations for Francis'Apocalypse Now(1979),The Great Santini(1979),The Apostle(1997),A Civil Action(1998) andThe Judge(2014). In 2007, he won two Emmys for his performance inBroken Trail.
Celebrated as a versatile actor, he has appeared in comedies and dramas. His other films includeNetwork(1976),The Natural(1984),Days of Thunder(1990),Sling Blade(1996),Gone in 60 Seconds(2000),John Q.(2002),Four Christmases(2008),Crazy Heart(2009),Widows(2018),Hustle(2022) andThe Pale Blue Eye(2022).
Duvall has been married four times. He and Argentine actressLuciana Pedrazatied the knot in 2005.
James Caan as Sonny Corleone
Paramount Pictures; Jon Kopaloff/Getty
As the fiery Sonny inThe Godfather, Caan won over audiences and received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
He made a brief cameo in a flashback sequence inTheGodfather Part IIand appeared in several popular films throughout the '70s, includingThe Gambler(1974),Funny Lady(1975),Rollerball(1975) andA Bridge Too Far(1978).
Though he acted less frequently in the '80s, he received critical acclaim for his role in the 1990 horror film adaptationMiseryand reached a whole new generation with his comedic turn in the 2003classic Christmas movieElf.
On the small screen, he had a leading role on NBC'sLas Vegasand the short-lived ABC sitcomBack in the Game.
Caandied in July 2022at the age of 82 from acombination of heart issues. He is survived by his five children, including actor andHawaii Five-0starScott Caan.
John Cazale as Fredo Corleone
John Cazale, who played the black sheep of the Corleone family, Fredo, died of lung cancer at age 42 in 1978.
Cazale appeared in just three other films aside fromThe GodfatherandThe Godfather Part II, including Francis'The Conversation(1974),Dog Day Afternoon(1975) andThe Deer Hunter(1978). Every film in which he appeared was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture, with three winning the trophy.
At the time of his death, Cazalewas in a relationshipwith actressMeryl Streep, whom he starred alongside in the 1976 Shakespeare Festival productionMeasure for MeasureandThe Deer Hunter.
Sofia Coppola as Mary Corleone
Paramount Pictures; Taylor Hill/WireImage
Sofia Coppola,daughter of theGodfatherdirectorhimself, wasn't originally intended to star inThe Godfather Part IIIbut did so afterWinona Ryderdropped out of the film as Mary Corleone, Michael's daughter.
After minor roles in the first and secondGodfatherfilms — not to mention several of her father's other projects — Sofia's larger role in the third waswidely panned by criticsat the time.
Over the years, she has gained a sense of humor about the experience.
"When I started, I was in my 20s, and it was the '90s in L.A., where I was known as the daughter of — this was before nepo babies were charming and most of them ended up in rehab — andI was the amateur actresswho single-handedly ruinedThe Godfather," Sofia said in November 2025.
She went on to become a prolific director in her own right, stepping behind the camera forThe Virgin Suicides(1999),Marie Antoinette(2006),The Bling Ring(2013),The Beguiled(2017) andPriscilla(2023), to name a few. In 2004, she took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay forLost in Translation.
The filmmaker also directed the 2015 Netflix Christmas musical comedy specialA Very Murray Christmas, featuringLost in TranslationactorBill Murray. The special earned an Emmy nod for outstanding television movie.
Sofia has been married twice, first to fellow director Spike Jonze from 1999 to 2003 and toThomas Mars, the lead singer of Phoenix, since 2011. She shares two daughters,Romy and Cosima, with Mars.
Andy García as Vincent Mancini
Paramount Pictures; Jon Kopaloff/Getty
Before playing Vincent Mancini inThe Godfather Part III,Andy Garcíastarred in8 Million Ways to Die(1986),The Untouchables(1987),Stand and Deliver(1988) andInternal Affairs(1990).
He earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in Francis'Godfatherfinale, playing the illegitimate son of Sonny and Lucy Mancini (Jeannie Linero). Fiercely loyal, Vincent eventually succeeds Michael as the head of the Corleone family.
García then starred inHero(1992),When a Man Loves a Woman(1994),Desperate Measures(1998),Ocean's Eleven(2001),Ocean's Twelve(2004),The Lost City(2005),Ocean's Thirteen(2007),Mamma Mia!Here We Go Again(2018) andFather of the Bride(2022).
He also appeared opposite formerGodfathercast member Keaton in theBook Clubfilm series. Since 2025, theGrammy Awardwinner has appeared on episodes ofTaylor Sheridan's Paramount+ seriesLandman.
García and wifeMarivi Lorido Garcíawed in 1982 andshare four children, includingMagic Cityactress Dominik García-Lorido.
Bridget Fonda as Grace Hamilton
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Bridget Fonda, amember of the Fonda acting dynasty, had her breakthrough role as Grace Hamilton, a journalist angling for an interview with Michael, inThe Godfather Part III.
Following her experience in theGodfatherfranchise, Fonda went on to star inSingle White Female(1992),Jackie Brown(1997) andLake Placid(1999). Her most recent acting credit is as the titular character in the 2002 TV movieSnow Queen.
Fonda married film composerDanny Elfmanin 2003, and the couple welcomedson Oliverin 2005. After becoming a mother, she stepped away from acting to focus on family life.
In April 2023, theDaily MailaskedFonda if she wanted to return to Hollywood, to which she replied, "No." Elaborating on her reasoning, she added, "I don't think so, it's too nice being a civilian."
Fonda and Elfman — who tend tokeep their relationship out of the spotlight— werephotographed in publicin December 2025 for the first time in more than a decade.
Franc D'Ambrosio as Anthony 'Tony' Corleone
Paramount Pictures
Franc D'Ambrosioplayed Tony Corleone, the son of Michael and Kay, inThe Godfather Part III. The character had been featured in the previous installments, but as a young child. In the third film, Tony is finally an adult and is an accomplished opera singer.
Having already appeared on Broadway inSweeney Toddand studied under legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti in Italy, D'Ambrosio's other stage credits includeThe Phantom of the OperaandCopacabana, among others.
He continues to tour and perform worldwide as a solo artist.
Read the original article onPeople
