Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972) is one of the most iconic performances in cinematic history. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film is an adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel of the same name and follows the rise and struggles of the Corleone crime family. Brando, already a Hollywood legend by the time he took the role, transformed himself into the aging Mafia patriarch with remarkable authenticity. He famously used cotton balls in his mouth during his audition to create the now-legendary mumbling speech pattern and jowly appearance of Don Corleone. Later, he wore a custom dental prosthetic for the role.
