Al Pacino donated earnings from role in ‘exploitative’ gay film to charity
Al Pacino donated money to an LGBTQ+ charity after feeling that his film ‘Cruising’ was ‘exploitative’ (Getty)
Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino donated the money he earned from gay film Cruising to charities after realising that it was “exploitative” of the queer community.
The 1980 film, loosely based on a novel by Gerald Walker, stars Pacino as a police officer who goes undercover in the hope of tracking a serial killer targeting gay men in New York.
Writing about the film in his new memoir, Sonny Boy, Pacino recognised that Cruising “became very controversial during its production,” with protestors worried it could harm the LGBTQ+ community “almost every day”.
The film largely depicts gay men as living double lives and anonymously “cruising” for sex in public places and seedy motels. According to People, Pacino did not realise it was “exploitative” until shooting had finished.
He wrote that he ultimately “remained quiet” instead of promoting the film after its release, and that he donated his proceeds to charitable causes.
“I took the money, and it was a lot, and I put it in an irrevocable trust fund,” Pacino wrote. “I gave it to charities, and, with the interest, it was able to last a couple of decades. I don’t know if it eased my conscience but at least the money did some good.”
He donated the money anonymously, not wanting it to come across as a publicity stunt. “I just wanted one positive thing to come out of that whole experience,” he added.
The star did not identify which charities benefitted.
The film’s director, William Friedkin, told The Wrap in 2013 that the movie “was not the best foot forward for the gay rights movement, but… [he] never intended the film to be critical” of the LGTBQ+ community.
“I just thought the S&M world would make a good backdrop for a murder mystery, I did not in any way mean for it to reflect the gay lifestyle,” he said. “I understood at the time that people who were trying to achieve gay rights were not going to appreciate such a tough picture. It’s still very tough, very hard-edged and ambiguous.”
Sonny Boy is available now.
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