In the life of Al Pacino, who was recently spotted wearing a ring on his ring finger, there have been many romances—loud, glamorous, and very different. But when it comes to true love, the actor always comes back to one name. And it’s neither a young model nor the mother of his children. Pacino has repeatedly admitted that the woman he truly loved was actress Diane Keaton.
They first met in the early 1970s on the set of the iconic The Godfather. Their on-screen chemistry quickly evolved into a real-life relationship, though a complicated, emotional one, marked by breaks and reconciliations. According to those close to the couple, Pacino and Keaton came together and drifted apart for nearly two decades, yet they were never able to completely let each other go.
The actor himself later admitted in interviews that Diane was far more to him than just a girlfriend.
“She made me happier. She influenced the direction of my life,” Pacino said.
And these aren’t just flattering words. Even after their breakup, they maintained a warm relationship and friendship—a rarity in Hollywood. Keaton still speaks of Pacino with respect, and he, without a trace of irony, calls her one of his greatest loves.
According to friends of the actor, this is the romance Pacino considers “the one,” and his decision never to marry Keaton remains one of his biggest regrets. Despite decades passing, new relationships, and even later fatherhood, his feelings for her have never changed.
Interestingly, other women in Pacino’s life—such as Beverly D’Angelo, with whom he has two children, or his most recent partner, Noor Alfallah—have never received such candid declarations from him. The actor rarely makes grand statements, but when it comes to Diane Keaton, he makes an exception.