James Caan Admitted His Image as a ‘Big Macho Slob Pig Who Treats Women Badly’ Wasn’t That Far From the Truth
Actor James Caan, renowned for roles often showcasing rugged masculinity, was open about the overlap between his on-screen personas and real-life reputation.
For instance, the actor shed light on how the character of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather has influenced the public’s perception of him. And he even admitted there’s some truth to the macho image.
James Caan opened up about his bad public image
Over his extensive career, Caan embodied various roles, some appearing to have bled into his existence.
During a conversation with Rolling Stone in 1981, Caan candidly discussed his public perception challenges. He conceded that his life hasn’t been without its complications, especially given the level of success he’s achieved.
Caan attributed the origins of his public persona to his compelling role as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather. His unforgettable portrayal of Sonny Corleone has made a lasting impact.
It’s so impactful that people often blur the lines between Jimmy and Sonny. The character of Sonny is volatile and hyper-masculine, the kind who wouldn’t hesitate to start a bar fight. He’s also portrayed as being almost insatiable when it comes to romantic endeavors.
“They want me to play Sonny for the rest of my life,” Caan stated.
While narratives about Caan’s personal life have perpetuated this persona, he acknowledged that there’s a grain of truth in some of the things said about him.
‘The Godfather’ star admitted his image as a ‘big macho slob pig’ isn’t far off
Numerous tales about Caan serve to bolster his public persona. These include his quick maturation on New York’s streets, passion for contact sports, and a love for extravagant social events.
Adding fuel to the fire was an incident where Caan faced allegations of physically abusing his ex-wife, Sheila Ryan.
In the interview with Rolling Stone, Caan became visibly agitated when discussing his “macho” image. He expressed his frustrations about misunderstandings, saying he respects career-oriented women but wouldn’t be romantically involved with a female boxer.
“That’s my image: big macho slob pig who treats women badly,” Caan said. “I gotta listen to Gloria Steinem talk about macho. I don’t even know what macho is. I only have to be concerned with how I treat a woman and how she treats me.”
Caan continued, explaining his old-fashioned romantic ideals and his belief in chivalry. He even admitted that he finds the idea of a woman nurturing her partner to be appealing.
However, he quickly realized this might stoke further controversy.
While Caan’s admissions are pretty shocking, his sister shed some light on his backstory.
Here’s the truth about James Caan’s wild side
In the same Rolling Stone interview, Caan’s sister, Barbara, pledged to set the record straight about their family background.
“I’m going to tell you the truth,” Barbara said. “No matter how angry macho over there gets [indicating the direction of Caan’s house]. These stories about being poor, and Jimmy growing up in the streets, are just not true.”
Contrary to popular tales painting a picture of poverty and rough street life, Barbara asserted that they grew up in a lower-middle-class setting. While they did experience fights and hardships, their father was committed to education. They also lived a fairly modest lifestyle.
Caan initially pursued higher education, enrolling at Michigan State University before transferring to Hofstra University in New York.
However, he soon realized the traditional academic route wasn’t for him. Returning to his hometown of Sunnyside, Queens, he intended to become an actor.
Caan first gained significant attention for his role in Francis Coppola’s film The Rain People. However, his career truly skyrocketed after he delivered an unforgettable performance in The Godfather.
