Summary
- Indian actor Ali Fazal has worked alongside major Hollywood names including Dame Judi Dench in Victoria & Abdul, Vin Diesel in Furious 7 and Gerard Butler in Kandahar, but he says none of those experiences compare to the moment he found himself face to face with Al Pacino, an actor he has long considered his cinematic idol.
- Fazal went on to describe their conversation, in which he spoke to Pacino about his own theatre background.
- Reflecting on his deep admiration for Pacino, Fazal joked that he is something of a walking encyclopedia on the actor, capable of answering nearly any trivia question about him among friends.
Indian actor Ali Fazal has worked alongside major Hollywood names including Dame Judi Dench in Victoria & Abdul, Vin Diesel in Furious 7 and Gerard Butler in Kandahar, but he says none of those experiences compare to the moment he found himself face to face with Al Pacino, an actor he has long considered his cinematic idol.
Fazal admitted he was completely awestruck upon meeting Pacino, an encounter that unfolded almost by accident while he was in London shooting for Death on the Nile. The actor recalled mixing up the dates for the premiere of The Irishman and realising only twenty minutes before the event began that he needed to rush over. “I couldn’t get a cab but luckily, it was in the vicinity. I wore my suit, and I ran,” he said.
After making it to the venue in time, Fazal described heading straight to the bar for water, only to turn and find Pacino standing right in front of him, smiling. He said the moment marked the first time he had ever truly felt starstruck by another actor. “When you’re working with somebody, it’s fine, it’s enriching. It’s like, this is me, and I take whatever you’re going to give. But here, I wasn’t working with him. I was just a fan,” he explained.
Fazal went on to describe their conversation, in which he spoke to Pacino about his own theatre background. He recalled Pacino’s enthusiastic reaction, noting that the Hollywood legend has long been a passionate champion of Shakespeare and carries an extensive body of theatre work alongside his film career.
Reflecting on his deep admiration for Pacino, Fazal joked that he is something of a walking encyclopedia on the actor, capable of answering nearly any trivia question about him among friends. He recalled being especially fascinated by stories of how many auditions Pacino went through before landing his role in The Godfather, describing himself as having been genuinely obsessed with the actor over the years.
Fazal recently appeared in the investigative crime thriller series Raakh, an eight episode drama in which he plays Sub Inspector Jayprakash, a police officer investigating the disappearance and murder of two teenagers in 1978 Delhi.
