Marlon Brando rose to fame after playing in films such as A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront (winning an Oscar). However, in the mid-1960s, he had a string of flops that rendered him unhirable until Francis Ford Coppola battled for him to portray Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather, a role that would bring Brando a second Academy Award.
His portrayal of Vito Corleone in the film The Godfather in 1972 was a defining moment in the middle of his career. Francis Ford Coppola, the film’s director, was able to persuade Marlon Brando to participate in a “make-up” test.
What did Marlon Brando have in his mouth in The Godfather?
Brando put cotton balls in his mouth before his audition to simulate the appearance of having a bulldog jaw. However, he donned a dental appliance that was specially made for him when it was time to shoot the scene. This piece of home equipment is currently on display at the American Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York.
