Michelle Pfeiffer Comes Clean on Why Filming 'Scarface' Terrified Her

Scarface became undoubtedly one of the film industry's most cult classic movies, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Al Pacino. The American crime drama ended up cementing Pfeiffer's career, with the actor revealing on the SmartLess podcast why going on set wasn't as glamorous as people think.

Pfeiffer reveals no one had expected the movie to become a "cultural phenomenon." By 1983, she was still a green actor before she took on the role of Elvira Hancock in Scarface. At the age of 23, she had only a few films under her belt, like playing Stephanie Zinone in Grease 2.

Besides the film set being dominated by men and "gangster guys and machismo," who were all into playing their parts, Pfeiffer was terrified because she felt she wasn't good enough.

"I just didn't have a lot of experience under my belt. And I was terrified. Every night I was terrified. I didn't feel worthy. I didn't feel like I had the chops. I didn't have any experience behind me. I had zero confidence," she said.

She also added that she was nervous playing opposite Pacino, who originally didn't want her in the movie. Director Brian De Palma thought she was good, but over the next few months, she got worse and worse.

"Brian finally comes to me and says, ‘You know, doll, it's just not going to work out," she said.

Letting go of all inhibitions, she was called back some time later for a screen test and nailed it. She even recounted a story of having accidentally swiped plates and glasses off a table that broke and ended up cutting Pacino.

Pacino ultimately warmed up to Pfeiffer and said "she's not bad."

Scarface ended up being her breakout role despite its mixed reactions. It made over $66 million at the box office with a $37 million budget. Pfeifer went on to receive six consecutive Golden Globe Award nominations for Married to the Mob and an Oscar nomination for Dangerous Liaisons.