Al Pacino Admits He 'Doesn't Know' What Keeps Him Going at 86 During Unrecognizable Red Carpet Appearance: 'I Wish I Had a Formula'

Al Pacino hit the red carpet at Tribeca Film Festival twice this week: First, he attended his Killing Castro world premiere on Tuesday, June 9, and one day later, he was on hand to premiere In The Hand of Dante on Wednesday, June 10.

When asked by a red-carpet reporter what keeps him going at his age, the 86-year-old admitted, "I don’t know."

"I wish I had a formula for this that I could share with the world, but I think it’s the glasses," the screen legend comedically told Associated Press while wearing a pair of sunglasses that featured the arm on the bottom of the frame.

Both dramatic thriller Killing Castro and crime drama In The Hand of Dante tackle historical subjects.

What draws him to historical roles?

“Well, usually it’s the people who are making the films, and the scripts as always, but I felt very close to both the people in the films,” he told the outlet.

He continued, “I did think that the Castro film had a nuance in it that I thought was very interesting and sort of funny and sort of not. It had an unusual feeling to it. I hope that translates in the film itself.”

Despite sweltering temperatures, an unrecognizable Pacino walked down the carpet sporting a black jacket and what appeared to be a gray scarf with a black button-down underneath at the June 9 premiere for Killing Castro.

He topped off the look with a beige winter hat and aviator sunglasses, which he wore as crowds cheered and the paparazzi flashed.

"When photographers asked him to keep them off, Pacino explained that the camera flashes were hurting his eyes before putting the sunglasses back on," one witness posted on X.

Pacino stars in the highly-anticipated film alongside Diego Boneta and Xolo Mariduena.

The biographical film follows Fidel Castro in the 1960s as he travels to America to speak at a United Nations meeting in New York City, according to IMDB.

After being invited by Malcom X to stay at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem, Castro is sought after by the FBI, CIA and the Mafia.

Pacino plays a retired CIA agent by the name of Robert Maheu. Kendrick Sampson took on the role of Malcom X while Boneta stars as Castro.

Fans reacted online to Pacino's shocking public appearance, calling the Oscar-winning actor a "legend" in social media posts.

"Legend! I live in L.A. and seeing celebs happen, but one time I got seated at a restaurant a few tables away from Scarface, Michael Corleone and Carlito," one person posted on X, "I nearly fell over."

"Nice welcome for Pacino," another person commented on Instagram. "He deserves the very best. Since he has given us his very best."

"The best actor this century," a third said on Facebook.

Though Pacino rarely makes public appearances, he has continued to work in Hollywood even at 86 years old.

In 2025 alone, he appeared in Dead Man's Wire, Easy's Waltz and In the Hand of Dante.

The iconic actor told The New York Times in 2024 that he's typically "not very happy" while making movies.

"Usually when I make films, I’m not very happy," he said. "They can be tedious, but you can go to your camper and do whatever you want."

Pacino rose to fame in the 1970s after starring as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. He was subsequently nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards.

Over the years, Pacino has received eight additional Academy Award nominations, including for his roles in The Godfather Part II, Serpico, Dick Tracy and The Irishman.

He won his only Oscar in 1993 for Scent of a Woman.