Burt Reynolds Offered Michael Corleone Role, But Brando Loathed Him

Many consider Marlon Brando one of the best actors of all time. But others found him to be not so good of a person behind the scenes. Brando feuded with many famous people in Hollywood during his lifetime. And now, a story surfaced that divulges his hatred for another iconic Hollywood star, Burt Reynolds. The story recounts Brando’s reaction to Burt Reynolds near casting as Michael Corleone in The Godfather.

Reynolds Offered Michael Corleone Before Al Pacino

Men’s Health reported that the story was posted to the social media site Reddit by a user named Jindabyne1, who wrote:

TIL Burt Reynolds was considered for the role of Michael Corleone but Brando said he would walk if they cast him. “He is the epitome of something that makes me want to throw up. He is the epitome of everything that is disgusting about the thespian, he worships at the temple of his own narcissism.”

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The Reddit user linked to a Variety story that is about the many roles that Reynolds nearly played throughout his career. The Variety article explains:

Reynolds also turned down the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather, but this is one he didn’t regret. In an interview with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live, he acknowledged the rumor that Marlon Brando threatened to quit if Reynolds came on board.“I was flattered that he was upset,” he said.

Brando Known For His Narcissism

To see Brando giving another actor grief for “narcissism” is ironic. Especially when he is known himself for being one of the most narcissistic actors to have ever existed. One example of Brando’s infamous behavior was when he thrust the set of the classic movie Apocalypse Now into complete disarray with his antics.

Brando reportedly arrived onset for the film weighing 300 pounds. And the actor “was incapable of memorizing his lines, hadn’t read Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, on which the film was based, insisted on lengthy conferences to discuss the script and wanted nothing to do with the hard-partying Hopper”. Dennis Hopper’s character photographer is the main counterpart for Brando in the movie. So Brando’s hatred for his fellow actor could not have been easy for director Francis Ford Coppola to deal with.

Brando Was Still A Great Actor

It’s always fun to hear the behind the scenes stories from our favorite historic Hollywood movies. Especially one as iconic as The Godfather. Brando, who passed away in 2004, may have been a nightmare backstage. But the thespian certainly created some beautiful art onscreen that will live on for many generations to come.