Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino talks with Terry Gross about growing up in the South Bronx with a single mother and The Godfather, and why he almost passed on Part II. His new memoir is Sonny Boy.Also, we hear from Saoirse Ronan. She stars in two new films: The Outrun, about a young woman struggling to get sober, and the World War II drama, Blitz. She spoke with contributor Ann Marie Baldonado about the roles, as well as the most intense on set experience she's ever had — birthing lambs.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Full Episode
From WHYY in Philadelphia, I'm Terry Gross with Fresh Air Weekend. Today, Al Pacino talks about the godfather and about growing up in the South Bronx with a single mother, little money, and friends who never made it out alive. He has a new memoir. Also, we hear from Saoirse Ronan. She stars in two new films, including The Outrun, about a young woman struggling with alcoholism.
To try to get sober, she moves back to her family's sheep farm in Scotland. Ronan had to learn new skills for that role.
And I was thrown straight onto the Orkney mainland and I had my hand up a ewe and was pulling a lamb out. And I did that seven times.
Ronan's other film currently in theaters is the World War II drama Blitz. Our film critic Justin Chang will have a review. That's coming up on Fresh Air Weekend. This is Fresh Air Weekend. I'm Terry Gross. My guest is Al Pacino.
Don't ask me about my business, Kate. Is it true? Don't ask me about my business. No.
Well, I'm going to ask Pacino about his business, by which I mean his art.
It sounded like a shot to me.
It did, I know. It's you slamming the table.
Oh, all right. As long as it's not a gun. I've had enough of those.
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