Trivia / Donnie Brasco

• Actor-Inspired Element: Al Pacino picked his sunglasses out himself.
• Cast the Runner-Up: Al Pacino was originally going to play Brasco. When he switched to Lefty, he recommended Johnny Depp.
• Executive Meddling: Joe Pistone practicing on the FBI's firing range was inserted at the insistence of the studio, which wanted a shot of Johnny Depp firing a gun for the movie's trailer.
• Fake Nationality: One of the reasons Johnny Depp was cast as Brasco was that he looked Italian. In reality, he says he's "One part Cherokee and the rest mutt."
• Playing Against Type: Al Pacino usually plays larger than life and intimidating men, often as major Mob bosses like in The Godfather, Scarface (1983) and Dick Tracy. Here he plays Lefty, a pushover that struggles with getting any form of respect as a small time mobster with no prospects of advancement in the organization.
• Release Date Change: The film was delayed from a Christmas 1996 release date to February, with hopes that Sony would give the film an Oscar campaign. However, their slate for the awards season was already abundant with films they felt had better chances: Jerry Maguire, The People vs. Larry Flynt and The Mirror Has Two Faces all successfully earning a slew of nominations.
• Romance on the Set: Michael Madsen impulsively proposed to, and married, DeAnna Madsen during a two-day break in filming. According to Michael, Al Pacino was disgusted by his impulsiveness. The Madsens remain happily married.
• What Could Have Been:
  • At various points Tom Cruise and John Travolta were attached to star, and Stephen Frears was attached to direct. Alec Baldwin, Nicolas Cage, John Cusack and Andy García were considered for Donnie Brasco.
  • Gabriel Byrne and Ray Liotta were considered for Sonny Black.
  • When the project was in its first stages, Joe Pesci was Mike Newell's first and main choice for Nicky. But after the release of Goodfellas and Casino, the idea gradually faded.
  • There was originally going to be a side plot where Lefty is given a lion as a pet.

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