Michelle Pfeiffer Opens Up About Frightening Incident With Al Pacino That Led to ‘Scarface’

Imagine lovely Michelle Pfeiffer, a 23-year-old actress, fresh off “Grease 2,” walking into auditions for “Scarface.” She actually knew that famed actor Al Pacino himself didn’t want her anywhere near his movie. That’s exactly what happened to Pfeiffer, and honestly? The whole story is both heartbreaking and absolutely bada--.

Michelle Pfeiffer Opens Up About Her Audition

During a recent appearance on the “SmartLess” podcast, Pfeiffer opened up about what it was really like landing the role of Elvira Hancock in Brian De Palma’s 1983 crime masterpiece. And truly, it wasn’t pretty at first.

Michelle Pfeiffer was absolutely terrified during the entire “Scarface” production, and who could blame her? Picture this: you’re on a set dominated by “gangster guys and machismo” where everyone’s staying somewhat in character, and you’re the young woman who barely has any major film experience under her belt. The only other significant female presence was Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, which meant Pfeiffer was essentially swimming in a sea of testosterone-fueled method acting.

“I just didn’t have a lot of experience under my belt. And I was terrified. Every night I was terrified,” she confessed during the podcast. “I didn’t feel worthy. I didn’t feel like I had the chops. I didn’t have any experience behind me. I had zero confidence.”

The six-month shoot was brutal for other reasons too. To authentically portray a cocaine addict, Michelle Pfeiffer basically stopped eating, surviving on what she’s previously described as “Marlboros and tomato soup.” The crew was so concerned they started bringing her bagels, but she kept getting skinnier and skinnier as production dragged on longer than originally planned.

Al Pacino’s Initial Rejection

Here’s where it gets really interesting. Pacino didn’t want her for the part. At all. And honestly, after hearing Pfeiffer’s story, you can’t really blame the guy. Her first audition went well, but then something psychological happened that every actor will recognize: the spiral of self-doubt.

“Over the course of two months, I just get worse and worse and worse because I’m just afraid. And by the end, I’m bad,” Pfeiffer explained. She doesn’t hold it against Pacino for thinking she wasn’t right for the role because, frankly, fear had completely undermined her performances.

Director Brian De Palma eventually had to break the news: “You know, doll, it’s just not going to work out.” Even though he really wanted her for the role, her auditions had deteriorated so badly that it seemed impossible to move forward.

The Bloody Screen Test That Changed Everything

But here’s where the story takes a bloody and wild turn. A month later, Michelle Pfeiffer got called back for a screen test. At this point, she was so convinced she wouldn’t get the part that she walked in with a completely different attitude: “I don’t even give a s— because I know I’m not getting this part.”

And that attitude? It was exactly what she needed.

During the screen test, they were doing the restaurant scene from the end of the film. Pfeiffer swept the table, sending dishes and glasses crashing to the floor. When the director called cut, there was blood everywhere. Everyone rushed over to check if she was hurt, but plot twist: she wasn’t the one bleeding. She had cut Al Pacino’s finger during the scene.

“I thought, ‘Well, there goes that part,'” she recalled. But instead of being angry, Pacino’s reaction was completely different. “Actually, I think that was the day he was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think she’s not bad.'”

The Power of Letting Go

That screen test taught Michelle Pfeiffer something crucial that she carried throughout her career: sometimes the best performances come when you stop caring so much about the result. “I don’t give a s—” became her mantra for her auditions and performances moving forward.

What beautiful irony! The moment she stopped trying so hard to prove herself was the actual moment she proved herself. Huh. It’s truly a lesson that goes way beyond acting: sometimes our biggest achievements come when we relinquish control.

From Breakout Role to Oscar Recognition

Scarface ultimately became Michelle Pfeiffer’s breakout role, even though it received mixed reviews at the time. The film was a box office success and has since become a cultural phenomenon that continues to influence pop culture decades later.

The role absolutely opened doors for Pfeiffer that led to serious dramatic recognition. Just five years later, she received her first Oscar nomination for “Dangerous Liaisons” in 1988, followed by nominations for “The Fabulous Baker Boys” in 1989 and “Love Field” in 1992.

The Lasting Impact

The fact that she nearly lost the role that would define much of her career because of fear – only to win it back when she stopped being afraid, is the kind of Hollywood story that actually teaches us something meaningful. It’s all about confidence, bravery, authenticity, and the power of letting go.

Today, when we watch “Scarface,” Pfeiffer’s portrayal of Elvira Hancock is iconic. She’s glamorous, tragic, and completely captivating. It’s hard to imagine anybody else in the role. But knowing what we know now about how close she came to losing it all makes her performance even more impressive. Sometimes the best art comes from our most vulnerable moments, and Michelle Pfeiffer’s journey to landing Elvira Hancock definitely proves it.