Michelle Pfeiffer has long been celebrated for her unforgettable role as Elvira Hancock in the 1983 crime classic Scarface. But the Hollywood star recently revealed that landing the part—and surviving the intense shoot—was far from smooth sailing.
Speaking on the latest episode of the SmartLess podcast with hosts Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman, and Will Arnett, the 67-year-old actress opened up about her time on the Brian De Palma-directed film. Her character, the glamorous yet troubled wife of Al Pacino’s Tony Montana, became a pop culture icon, but Pfeiffer admitted she never saw it coming. "I didn’t have any idea it would become sort of a cultural phenomenon," she said.
The production tested her limits from day one. Scarface filming stretched to six months—two longer than planned—and Pfeiffer dove deep into her role as a cocaine addict. "I was not eating," she shared with People magazine. "And I kept getting skinnier and skinnier. The crew were bringing me bagels." For the movie’s explosive final restaurant scene, where Elvira hits rock bottom, directors pushed it back repeatedly. She needed to look "strung out" and "at her worst," which only ramped up the pressure on the male-heavy set. "Gangster guys and machismo—they were all kind of a little bit in character all the time," Pfeiffer recalled. Besides co-star Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, it was a world dominated by tough guys.
At just 23, with her biggest recent gig being Grease 2, Pfeiffer felt wildly out of her depth. "I was terrified. Every night I was terrified," she confessed. "I didn’t feel worthy. I didn’t feel like I had the chops. I had zero confidence." Even Al Pacino, now 85, wasn’t sold on her at first. He had doubts about casting the newcomer opposite his iconic Tony Montana.
Pfeiffer’s "favorite story" from the ordeal involves her screen test gone hilariously wrong. Her initial audition impressed De Palma and the casting team. But over two months of callbacks to meet Pacino, nerves got the best of her. "I just get worse and worse and worse because I’m just afraid," she said. By the end, she bombed so badly that De Palma pulled her aside: "You know, doll, it’s just not going to work out." Heartbroken, since he had really wanted her for Elvira, she pushed for one last shot in that chaotic restaurant scene.
That’s when things got bloody. "I swipe the table of the dishes and glasses break, the dishes break. Cut. There’s blood everywhere," Pfeiffer recounted. The crew rushed over, thinking she’d hurt herself. Nope—it was Pacino’s finger. "I cut Al. I thought, ‘Well, there goes that part.’" But the Scarface star took it in stride. "Actually, I think that was the day he was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think she’s not bad,’" she laughed. That mishap sealed the deal, turning her audition disaster into a career breakthrough.
Looking back, Pfeiffer says the experience shaped her approach to acting and auditions forever. It’s a reminder of how even Hollywood legends like her started with raw fear—and a little accidental bloodshed.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
