Philosophy honour for Godfather star Pacino
Hollywood legend Al Pacino will collect a prestigious gong at Dublin’s historic Trinity College today.
The eight-times Oscar nominated star has been awarded the honorary patronage of the university’s Philosophical Society.
Best known for his roles in The Godfather, Serpico and Heat, the New Yorker finally won an Oscar for playing blind Colonel Frank Slade in Scent of A Woman in 1993.
Philosophical Society president Daire Hickey said it was an honour to host one of the greatest stars of the silver screen at the 414-year-old college.
“There’s a great buzz around college and we’re really looking forward to the event,” he said.
“He is really interested in Irish writer Oscar Wilde and particularly his acclaimed play Salome. So to see the college that Wilde attended as an undergraduate is a big deal for him.”
Pacino plans to film part of his documentary Salomaybe in Ireland.
The film is based on Pacino’s quest to find out more about Wilde and his influences for writing Salome, published in 1892.
The actor will speak to some of Trinity’s renowned scholars about Wilde’s time as an undergraduate at the college.
Pacino follows in the footsteps of other recipients of the Trinity award like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and US Senator John McCain.
Trinity Provost John Hegarty marvelled at the ability of students to attract famous people to the college’s oldest student society.
“The student body acts as a magnet for big names,” he said.
Founded in 1592, Trinity is the oldest university in Ireland and also hosts the ancient Book of Kells manuscript.
It has more than 12,000 students on its central Dublin campus which spans 40 acres of historic buildings, cobbled squares and green spaces.
