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The 1972 movie The Godfather is one of the most beloved of all time. Fans love the famous family dinner scene and the amazing performances from the all-star cast. Before she starred in a handful of Woody Allen movies, Diane Keaton got her big break by playing Kay Adams in the crime drama. Over the next few decades, she became popular thanks to her offbeat fashion sense and the quirky characters that she played.
Besides starring in movies like Book Club and Mack & Rita, Keaton has made some fun career choices in recent years. Keaton appeared in the Justin Bieber video for his song “Ghost,” which got people talking. But while the actress has been earning a lot of money for several decades, was that the case when she was just starting out? Al Pacino earned a fairly low salary for The Godfather… but what money did Diane Keaton make from the iconic film?
What Was Diane Keaton’s Salary For The Godfather?
While Francis Ford Coppola had a long career after The Godfather, there’s no doubt that this is the movie that people remember the director for. And it’s amazing to think that it was the first big movie for Diane Keaton.
The actress played Kay Adams, who used to be married to Al Pacino’s character, Michael Corleone. Kay is a very likable character who doesn’t fit in with Michael’s Italian family and who doesn’t understand why he gets involved in so many dangerous situations.
What did Diane Keaton get paid for The Godfather? According to The Richest, the Keaton earned $35,000 for The Godfather. Her salary for the sequel, The Godfather: Part II, doesn’t appear to be available.
When the actress came back for the third film in the franchise, The Godfather: Part III, she made $1.5 million, according to The Richest.
Diane Keaton has starred in so many movies that it’s no wonder that she has a $100 million net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Keaton’s very first movie was Love And Other Strangers, which was released in 1970. While it was successful, it’s not a movie that people associate with the actress these days.
After The Godfather, she began starring in Woody Allen movies. These included Play It Again Sam, Sleeper, Love and Death, Manhattan, and Annie Hall. Of course, besides The Godfather, Annie Hall is the movie that Keaton is famous for.
In recent years, Keaton has starred in silly comedies like The Big Wedding and Maybe I Do. However, she has appeared in some tearjerkers like the Christmas movies Love the Coopers to The Family Stone.
What Did Diane Keaton Say About The Godfather?
Diane Keaton is such a big star that it’s hard to imagine her feeling nervous about any of her movies. However, when she was just starting out in Hollywood, she wasn’t always super confident.
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In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Keaton talked about her biggest movies, including The Godfather. She talked about going on auditions constantly and hoping that she would get cast in something. This is, of course, an experience that many young actors have. It can be hard to keep going without knowing when that big break will occur. Keaton’s talent was clear as soon as she began getting cast in movies. It’s no wonder that she was chosen to play Kay in The Godfather.
Mia Galuppo, the reporter, brought up that Keaton had mentioned feeling that she was the wrong person for the part of Kay. Keaton agreed and said, “Oh, are you kidding? Of course! I was terrified. I didn’t understand why me. I mean, I went up to the audition. I didn’t even really — I hadn’t read it. See, this is bad!”
Keaton continued to The Hollywood Reporter that she was determined to find work in the acting industry. And she is very humble when talking about landing this part.
Keaton said, “But I needed a job, so I got up there. I’d been auditioning around for about a year, and then this happened like that. And I kept thinking, “Why me? Why would he cast me?” I didn’t understand it. I still don’t, really.”
In 2022, the actress was honored at a Hand & Footprint Ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theater. She talked about how she hadn’t read the novel that the movie is based on by Mario Puzo. It sounds like she was really grateful to land the role. And since this was the start of her amazing career, that definitely makes sense.
According to People, Keaton said, “I think the kindest thing that someone’s ever done for me … is that I got cast to be in The Godfather and I didn’t even read it. I didn’t know a single thing.”
She talked about being “lucky” and also mentioned that Al Pacino almost didn’t star in The Godfather. She explained that while the studio was interested in casting someone else, they read so well together that he was given the part. It’s amazing to think that Keaton might have had a co-star besides Pacino. They were perfectly matched onscreen in every single scene in The Godfather.
While Diane Keaton is still a beloved movie star, she has been honest about what it has been like to get older in her industry. In a 2022 interview with USA Today, she said she is “the luckiest woman ever” as she is able to still work.
She said of her career, “It drifts away a little, because of course you aren’t wanted as much.”
Keaton’s words are really heartbreaking. Fans will always want to watch Keaton on the big screen. Her onscreen presence is always hilarious and lively. And when she plays more serious characters, she is always impressive. Thankfully, she has kept acting in the past few decades. It’s interesting that in Keaton’s latest movies, she has played characters who are grappling with their age. This includes Mack & Rita, Book Club and the upcoming sequel Book Club 2 — The Next Chapter, and Poms.
