While filming Death on the Nile, a film based on Agatha Christie’s novel of the same name, in London, Ali Fazal got a chance to meet Hollywood legend Al Pacino. The unexpected encounter happened at the premiere of Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman.
Speaking on Vaibhav Munjal’s podcast, Fazal recalled that he had accidentally mixed up the dates of Scorsese’s premiere while he was shooting his film. Realising his mistake at the last minute, he rushed from his hotel at The Langham to the venue in a suit.
“I ran from my hotel in my suit across 17 streets to get there on time,” he said.
Breathless after the sprint, Fazal walked towards the bar for a glass of water, only to find Al Pacino standing right in front of him.
“I ended up like here, and Pacino was here. I just froze. I froze, man,” he added.
The actor said the awkward silence turned into a conversation because Pacino knew Death on the Nile director Kenneth Branagh. Additionally, Fazal and Pacino shared a love for Shakespeare.
“He knew Kenneth, and he’s done so many plays and is such a hardcore Shakespeare fan. That became the connection, and then we started talking about other things.”
Despite working with several global stars over the years, Fazal admitted he rarely asks anyone for selfies. “I can’t get myself to take selfies with people I’ve met. So many people I’ve met, I’ve never been able to. But this I couldn’t miss.”
During the podcast, Fazal also spoke about Pacino’s legacy, saying he would love to work with the Oscar-winning actor.
“I know he’s not doing really the best cinema right now, but Al Pacino any day,” Fazal said, calling him “the OG.”
Auditioning for Digger
In the interview, Fazal also shared that he auditioned for the Tom Cruise starrer, Digger, but did not clarify for which role. Fahadh Faasil had earlier said he stepped away from the same role, and Vir Das also revealed in a now-deleted tweet that he had auditioned twice for the role but was ultimately rejected, with Riz Ahmed eventually landing the part. Digger, starring Tom Cruise and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, is scheduled for release on 2 October 2026.
“I tested for a film that he (Alejandro G. Inarritu) was doing. It’s actually coming out now this year – Digger,” he recalled.“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn’t get it, so nothing to boast about it… Somebody else got it, and that person is very good, so I’m glad it’s him,” he added.
(Edited by Maryam Hassan)