Diane Keatons Godfather co-star Gianni Russo…
She performed a motherly position — on and off the set — in “The Godfather.”
Diane Keaton’s Hollywood breakthrough got here in the Francis Ford Coppola 1972 masterpiece, where she starred as Kay Adams-Corleone, the schoolteacher spouse of mobster Michael Corleone, performed by Al Pacino.
Before that, Keaton, only 26, had acted in only two other movies. Yet she nurtured a fledgling co-star.
Diane Keaton performed the spouse of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone in “The Godfather.” Courtesy Everett Collection
“Diane was a good friend and very kind to me during the filming,” actor Gianni Russo recalled to The Post on Saturday.
Russo, 81, who performed Carlo Rizzi, vicious husband to Michael’s sister Connie, performed by Talia Shire, said Keaton was always there if he needed her.
“She couldn’t believe ‘The Godfather’ was my first movie. She said, ‘If you have any questions just ask me,’ and I did,” he recalled.
The co-stars stored in contact after the film wrapped and even met up for fancy Italian dinners.
Gianni Russo starred as Carlo Rizzi, husband to Connie Corleone, performed by Talia Shire. The late James Caan, pictured right here, performed Sonny, Connie’s brother. Courtesy Everett Collection
Keaton and Russo, pictured right here in the Rizzi-Corleone wedding ceremony scene from “The Godfather,” remained pals after the movie wrapped. Courtesy Everett Collection
“We would meet in Beverly Hills at Il Pastaio resturant for years after,” he reminisced.
“I will miss her dearly. God Bless her soul.”
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