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Hollywood legend Al Pacino is opening up about a terrifying brush with death during his battle with COVID-19. The 84-year-old "Godfather" star revealed that his heart stopped, leaving him in a life-or-death situation where paramedics had to bring him back to life.
In a candid interview with The New York Times, Pacino shared details about the frightening ordeal, which occurred during the height of the pandemic in 2020. "I was sitting there in my house, and I was gone," Pacino recalled, describing how he lost consciousness and his pulse.
"In a matter of minutes, the ambulance was in front of my house, and there were six paramedics and two doctors in my living room, all dressed in these outfits that looked like they were from outer space," the actor recalled.
It was a harrowing experience for the Oscar-winning actor, who first began feeling "unusually not good." Suffering from fever and dehydration, Pacino had a nurse come to his house, but things took a dramatic turn when he ed out.
"I didn't see the white light or anything," he said, recounting his near-death moment. "There's nothing there. I never thought about it in my life. But you know actors: it sounds good to say I died once."
The experience made him reflect
Despite the close call, Pacino's outlook on death has changed with age. "You get a different view of death as you get older. It's just the way it is. I didn't ask for it. Just comes, like a lot of things just come," he shared, adding that he doesn't find the topic "morbid."
Reflecting on his career and legacy, Pacino said he takes comfort in his four children-Julie, 34; 23-year-old twins Anton and Olivia; and baby Roman, born in 2023-as well as his extensive body of work.
But his decades-long career has had its ups and downs, with Pacino itting that making movies in his younger years was more fulfilling. "Usually, when I make films, I'm not very happy," he confessed. "They can be tedious, but you can go to your camper and do whatever you want."
A betrayal made him live through difficult times
For fun, Pacino spends time watching YouTube videos and occasionally enjoys scrolling through TikTok. He also revealed that if there's one movie he'd like his young son Roman to watch first, it's "Jack and Jill," the 2011 comedy he starred in alongside Adam Sandler. "It's funny," Pacino said. "It came at a time in my life that I needed it, because it was after I found out I had no more money."
Pacino's financial troubles, caused by his former advisor Kenneth Starr, were no laughing matter. Starr, who was sentenced to over seven years in prison for defrauding clients, left Pacino on the hook with the IRS for nearly $200,000 in back taxes. Despite the financial setback, Pacino embraced the comedy role as a means to quickly recover.
Now, after surviving both financial hardships and a near-fatal illness, Pacino is more reflective about life but remains upbeat about what lies ahead-even if death doesn't scare him anymore.