Al Pacino has no problem playing controversial roles whether it’s Jack Kevorkian or his latest turn as former Penn State head coach, Joe Paterno.
The scandal surrounding Jerry Sandusky hit hard for Paterno, who was a legendary and beloved coach. Not only because of his solid reputation with the team, but also because he knew of the acts. He did escalate knowledge of the incidents, however, when a solution was never made, Paterno did not pursue it any further. Before things got worse, Paterno passed away at the age of 85. The statue that stood in front of Beaver Stadium was taken down on July 22nd after several threats.
Before all this happened, a book titled >Paterno by Joe Posnanski was soon to hit stores. Then when the controversy hit, the author added more to his novel, ultimately making it a crushing and bittersweet end. The book now sits atop The New York Times Bestseller List.
The film will have more than just scandal, it will also show, “his life before Penn State, his family and the iron grip he held over Penn State football and politics until his downfall.” No word yet on whether this will be released on the big screen or the small one.
This is not the first time that Pacino has played a coach. In ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, he took on the role of Tony D’Amato. He’ll have to dial it back a few notches when he steps in Paterno’s shoes.
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