Keanu Reeves has done a lot of movies that have bagged him iconic roles one after the other. With his exceptional work ethic and an even more spectacular reputation throughout the Hollywood industry. Being the most loved actor amongst the fans and his co-stars, he has earned a name beyond compare. His range in movies is just as marvelous.
Since he has done a lot of movies that have built a range that has helped him in his rise to fame. Even when he started as a young actor, he quickly rose to stardom because of his incredible acting. No doubt the actor is being heftily paid. However, if it came to working with his favorite actor, he was ready to give up even the biggest sum of money.
Keanu Reeves Was Ready To Give Up A Massive Paycheck For Al Pacino
Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino first got together during the filming of The Devil’s Advocate. The film had a lot of polarising reviews but a majority leaned towards the movie being a great watch. The horror movie, as the name suggests was about Reeves working for the Devil, unbeknownst to him. However, he soon uncovers the truth about Pacino actually being the King of Hell.
There was a slim chance that Pacino would not have been part of the film because of a fairly low budget. In order to ensure that he was hired, Reeves gave up millions worth of his salary so that there could be a possible budget for him to be hired. He worked for a much lesser salary than he was first hired for and it was all worth it. The Matrix star has seen Pacino since his days in the Godfather trilogy. So an opportunity to work beside him was not something he was willing to miss. Reeves immediately took the chance and won in the process.
Al Pacino Was Not Fond Of The Devil’s Advocate’s Cliche
One big reason that Al Pacino was rejecting the role was because of the cliches that it supported. The script was offered to him multiple times but he kept denying the role again and again. He even suggested that actors like Sean Connery and Robert Redford take up the role. It was his character’s obviousness that became a big reason for his disagreement.
This, however, was quickly turned after there were multiple changes in the script and even more persistence on Keanu Reeves’ part. Had it not been for his passion and commitment, perhaps his dream would not have come true.
Source: Far Out Magazine