"To see that level of commitment and level of passion after so many years and after putting down what you've put down on film and after putting down some of the most seminal performances on film and on the stage. ... It's inspiring."

"You're acting is just out of the ballpark, darling. There's nobody fiercer. Nobody who burns hotter or chills colder than you do. You are relentless in your pursuit of a character, and in real life, you are just kind of regular - not that that's a bad thing, but that's not why we're celebrating you."

"To sustain a career in this business is a total miracle, and when we look at the career of Al Pacino, we can certainly see the magic, we can certainly see the poetry."

"Thank you, thank you, for making of us proud to be called actors. Thank you for always putting everyone else you work with at ease because whether you know it or not we are stunned, thrilled and scared to death just to find ourselves in your presence."

"Al is such a huge film star now, we tend to forget and overlook the fact that he is first and foremost a stage actor. Once he began acting in film, he still kept returning time and time again to the stage."

"I think we all knew at the time that that guy in the corner was mushrooming into probably one of the great talents of all time in our industry."

"I was a changed person from that moment on ["The Godfather" performance, 1972]. I decided I was going to become an actor because I'd seen Al Pacino's work in that movie.
You are in the pantheon, and the most fucked-up thing is you're still working, still doing it."

"The depth of your artistry is only more overwhelmed by the generosity of your spirit and your warmth. You’re Van Gogh. You’re Modigliani. That’s who you are."

“Forty-five years ago I was in a theatre and I thought, ‘Who is that guy?’. I look at my little programme and it said Al Pacino. I said to him: “You’re going to be a star.” But I didn’t expect 45 years later to be here.”

"Al Pacino is an icon of American film. He has created some of the great characters in the movies - from Michael Corleone to Tony Montana to Roy Cohn. His career inspires audiences and artists alike, with each new performance a master class for a generation of actors to follow. AFI is proud to present him with its 35th Life Achievement Award."