Legendary actor Al Pacino reveals a ton of shocking information about his decades in Hollywood in his memoir “Sonny Boy,” published in October 2024. One of the most surprising tidbits? Pacino says he was once worth $50 million, but “The Godfather” star nearly lost it all in the blink of an eye. “There’s almost nothing worse for a famous person,” he wrote (via Business Insider), blaming a combination of factors including overspending, neglecting his finances, and trusting the wrong people in the business.
“There’s being dead, and then there’s being broke,” he added, admitting that he ignored his financial situation for many years, assuming it was too complicated to understand and that his accountant would handle it all. Meanwhile, Pacino’s spending habits spiraled out of control. He described how he ended up paying for over a dozen people’s cars — he only personally owned two — and giving his landscaper $400,000 a year for a house Pacino didn’t live in. That was when he realized he’d hit a shocking new low.
Al Pacino was desperate for money, forcing him to take on projects he didn’t want to do
As Al Pacino’s fortune continued to evaporate, his accountant was unknowingly being investigated for fraud. He later went to prison for his crimes, draining Pacino’s funds to their lowest point yet. In his memoir, the actor explained his inner circle’s thought process at the time (via Business Insider): “It was all about: let’s keep this dumb actor happy, just keep him working, and we will reap.” In 2011, he discovered the truth: his criminal accountant had left him with almost nothing in the bank. Thus, the “Scarface” star joined the long list of actors who have been scammed out of large sums of money.
In a bid to regain control of his finances, Pacino took some desperate measures. He sold one of his homes and accepted opportunities he would have once refused, including a role in Adam Sandler’s much-maligned comedy “Jack and Jill”: a film Pacino said he did solely for the hefty paycheck. The actor also participated in seminars to cover his monthly expenses, taking on roles and gigs that allowed him to keep his dire financial situation from worsening. It’s a story many other celebrities who’ve been much poorer than you would expect have experienced, but not all of them were as lucky as Pacino.
