Upon its 1983 release, Scarface cemented Al Pacino's star status and turned actress Michelle Pfeiffer into a household name. The story of Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant in 1980s Miami who eventually becomes an unruly drug kingpin, is one of excruciating highs and moral lows. The character's excessive use of cocaine, profanity and violence shocked audiences across the country — a gritty rendering of the American dream against the backdrop of Reagan's presidency.
Despite its initial tepid response from critics, Scarface went on to become a commercial success, grossing more than $126.5 million domestically when adjusted for inflation. The seminal crime drama, loosely based on a 1932 film of the same name, combined romance, action and gore and is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time.
The stars of Scarface have gone on to feature in a number of award-winning movies and television shows since the film was released 35 years ago, on Dec. 9, 1983. Here's what they're up to today.
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Al Pacino
Image Credit: Universal Pictures/Photofest; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Pacino was cast as the fiery Montana after starring as Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy. He quickly became the face of the '80s gangster-film genre. But the bold role of Montana was a steep departure from Corleone in the Coppola-directed family saga. For his performance in The Godfather Part II, the Italian actor was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor but did not win the award until 1992, for his portrayal of a blind lieutenant in Scent of a Woman.
Pacino went on to portray other iconic gangsters in 1993's Carlito's Way and 1997's Donnie Brasco. He is one of only a few actors to receive the Triple Crown of Acting: an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony Award. Pacino is widely regarded as one of the best actors of all time and has served with Ellen Burstyn and Harvey Keitel as joint president of the Actors Studio since 1994.
In 2010, Pacino won a daytime Emmy for his role as Jack Kevorkian in the HBO series You Don't Know Jack. His portrayal of an aging rock star in 2015's Danny Collins gave him his most recent win, a Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy.
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Michelle Pfeiffer
Image Credit: Universal Pictures/Photofest; Theo Wargo/Getty Images Michelle Pfeiffer is hailed not only for her acting but also for her seeming ability not to age (her looks were even immortalized last year in song). After her role as Elvira, Tony's cocaine-addicted wife, she shot to fame after previously having only starred in 1978's Grease 2, which underperformed commercially. She plays up the dichotomy between flighty and strong, creating the classic vision of a cinematic kingpin's wife. She originally was not considered for the part –– the film's director did not think she would be able to pull it off. But play the role she did, and it propelled her career.
After Scarface, Pfeiffer took on a number of critically acclaimed roles in such titles as The Fabulous Baker Boys and The Age of Innocence. Her role as Catwoman in the Tim Burton film Batman Returns remains a fan favorite. She took a short hiatus from acting but returned to the screen in 2007's Hairspray. This year, she played the Wasp in superhero movie Ant-Man and the Wasp.
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Steven Bauer
Image Credit: Universal Pictures/Photofest; Manny Hernandez/Wireimage Before landing his role as Manny, Tony Montana's best friend, Bauer was relatively unknown. The primary credit to his name was a role in ¿Que Pasa, USA?, a late 1970s bilingual PBS sitcom chronicling a family of Cuban immigrants in Miami. He also had a minor role in the 1980 miniseries From Here to Eternity, where he met his first wife, actress Melanie Griffith.
Since Scarface, Bauer has portrayed his own version of a drug lord, as Don Eladio in Breaking Bad. After the series ended, he reprised the role in the 2017 series spinoff Better Call Saul.
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Robert Loggia
Image Credit: Universal Pictures/Photofest; Michael Kovac/WireImage Frank was Tony's main rival and the antagonist of Scarface. He is the catalyst for his primary rift in the drug world –– and the cause of his epic demise. After playing Lopez, Loggia was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in 1985's Jagged Edge.
The actor was featured in popular television shows Malcolm in the Middle and The Sopranos. He died in 2015 of complications of Alzheimer's disease.
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Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Image Credit: Universal Pictures/Photofest; Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Mastrantonio's portrayal of Gina, Tony's younger sister, of whom he's fiercely protective, marked her first onscreen role. After, she starred in 1986's The Color of Money, for which she received both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
More recently, the actress appeared in a guest role on 2017's Netflix Marvel drama The Punisher.
