In a revealing series of interviews with The New York Times and People magazine, Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino has shared the harrowing details of his near-fatal battle with COVID-19 in 2020, offering insights into his perspective on life and death. The 84-year-old star recounted the moment he realized he was gravely ill, describing a surreal experience where he briefly lost consciousness and had no pulse.
Pacino recalled feeling “unusually not good” before succumbing to a fever and severe dehydration. “I was sitting there in my house, and I was gone,” he said. “I didn’t have a pulse.” Reflecting on his near-death experience, he shared, “You’re here, you’re not. I thought: Wow, you don’t even have your memories. You have nothing. Strange porridge.”
Fortunately, the emergency response was swift. An ambulance arrived at Pacino’s home within minutes, and he regained consciousness surrounded by six paramedics and two doctors. He vividly described the disorienting sight of the medical team, clad in protective gear that he likened to “outfits from outer space.” “It was kind of shocking to open your eyes and see that. Everybody was around me, and they said: ‘He’s back. He’s here,’” Pacino recounted.
In his conversation with People, the legendary actor reflected on the confusion he felt upon waking up. “I looked around and I thought, ‘What happened to me?’” Although many believed he had died, Pacino questioned whether he truly experienced death, admitting, “I thought I experienced death. I might not have. I don’t think I have, really. I know I made it.”
Pacino credited his dedicated assistant for quickly calling paramedics after his nurse confirmed he no longer had a pulse. “He got the people coming because the nurse that was taking care of me said, ‘I don’t feel a pulse on this guy,’” he explained.
When asked if this health scare has changed his outlook on life, Pacino replied, “Not at all.” However, he acknowledged that the experience had a profound metaphysical effect on him. Drawing on Shakespeare, he mused, “I didn’t see the white light or anything. There’s nothing there. As Hamlet says, ‘To be or not to be’; ‘The undiscovered country from whose bourn, no traveler returns.’ And he says two words: ‘no more.’ It was no more.”
Pacino’s reflections on life and mortality are chronicled in his forthcoming autobiography, Sonny Boy, set to be published on Tuesday. As he prepares for his next role in a movie adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, the iconic actor continues to grapple with existential questions that resonate deeply, both in his craft and personal life.
