Al Pacino’s filmography is packed with iconic performances, but there’s one film in his career that left a sour taste. Released in 1980, the film saw Pacino play an undercover cop who infiltrated New York’s underground gay scene to catch a serial killer. The role came with a hefty paycheck, but according to Pacino, it also came with a bit of regret.

Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather | Paramount Photos

Critics and LGBTQ+ activists condemned Cruising for its depiction of gay culture, leading to protests that dogged the film’s release. Pacino himself later admitted that he was uncomfortable with the film’s portrayal of the LGBTQ+ community and called it a misstep in his career.

Al Pacino donated his cruise salary and called the film an embarrassment to the LGBTQ+ community. Al Pacino in William Friedkin’s Cruising (1980) | Credits: Lorimar Film Entertainment

Al Pacino dropped a bombshell in his memoir Sonny Boy.