Al Pacino was about to be ousted The godfather by Paramount Studios before one scene saved his role in Francis Ford Coppola’s critically acclaimed mafia drama.

In an excerpt shared by The Guardian from his new memoir, Son boy, The 84-year-old actor revealed that the studio questioned his casting twice, but he ultimately proved himself with Coppola’s support.

“Paramount didn’t want me to play Michael Corleone,” he wrote. “They wanted Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford, Warren Beatty or Ryan O’Neal.”

“But here’s the secret: Francis wanted me. He wanted me, and I knew it,” the Academy Award winner added. “There’s nothing like when a director wants you. He also gave me a gift in the form of Diane Keaton.”

“After a week and a half of filming, Paramount again wondered if he was the right choice for the role. Finally, Francis decided something had to be done,” Pacino recalls.

While Pacino remained confused if Coppola was acting “intentionally,” he recalled that the director had moved up filming of the Italian restaurant scene.

“That scene wasn’t supposed to be shot until a few days later, but if something hadn’t happened that allowed me to show what I was capable of, there might not have been a future for me,” Pacino continued.

“Then Francis showed the restaurant scene to the studio, and when they looked at it, there was something,” he wrote. “Because of that scene I just played, they kept me in the movie, so I didn’t get fired The godfather.”

Luckily, Pacino executed the scene exactly how Coppola wanted it, which his casting as Michael Corleone in the iconic 1972 film proved.