From one of the most iconic actors in the history of film, an astonishingly revealing account of a creative life in full.

To the wider world, Al Pacino exploded onto the scene like a supernova. He landed his first leading role, in The Panic in Needle Park, in 1971, and by 1975, he had starred in four movies—The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Serpico, and Dog Day Afternoon—that were not just successes but landmarks in the history of film. Those performances became legendary and changed his life forever. Not since Marlon Brando and James Dean in the late 1950s had an actor made such a profound cultural impact.

But Pacino was in his mid-thirties by then, and had already lived several lives. A fixture of avant-garde theater in New York, he had led a bohemian existence, working odd jobs to support his craft. He was raised by a fiercely loving but mentally unwell mother and her parents after his father left them when he was young, but in a real sense he was raised by the streets of the South Bronx, and by the troop of adventurous young friends he ran with, whose spirits never left him. After a teacher recognized his acting promise and pushed him toward New York’s renowned High School of Performing Arts, the die was cast. In good times and bad, in poverty and in wealth and in poverty again, through pain and joy, acting was his lifeline, its community his tribe.

Sonny Boy is the memoir of a man who has nothing left to fear and nothing left to hide. All the great roles, the essential collaborations, and the important relationships are given their full acknowledgment, as is the complicated marriage between creativity and commerce at the highest levels. The book’s main theme, however, is the spirit of love and purpose. Love can fail you, and you can be defeated in your ambitions—the same lights that shine brightly can also flicker and fade. But Al Pacino was fortunate enough to fall deeply in love with his craft before he understood any of its worldly rewards, and he never fell out of love. That has made all the difference.

Praise for Al Pacino:

‘Al Pacino is magical’ Martin Scorsese

‘A legend’ Francis Ford Coppola

‘So unique and special’ Robert De Niro

‘A singular, extraordinary talent, whose work stands the test of time’ Robin Williams

‘A wicked sense of humor’ Oliver Stone

‘Charming, hilarious, a nonstop talker. There is an aspect of him that is like a lost orphan, like a kind of crazy genius’ Diane Keaton

‘As Michael in The Godfather, Pacino was everything I wanted that character to be on screen. I couldn’t believe it. It was, in my eyes, a perfect performance, a work of art’ Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather

‘Comedic, talented, and certifiably insane’ Johnny Depp

‘Al is the man, making it happen. I got to act with Al Pacino and it meant more to me than anything’ Samuel L Jackson

‘A marvelous actor and man’ Sean Connery

‘The depth of Al Pacino’s artistry is only matched by the generosity of his spirit and his warmth. Al Pacino is Van Gogh. Modigliani’ Andy Garcia

‘The greatest actor in the world’ Jamie Foxx

Pages: 384, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm