At the AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony, veteran actor Robert De Niro expressed heartfelt gratitude to director Francis Ford Coppola for not casting him in the original The Godfather. De Niro’s eventual role as young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II became a pivotal moment in his career, earning him his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Reflecting on this at the event in Los Angeles, De Niro humorously thanked Coppola, saying, "Francis, thank you for not casting me in The Godfather. It was the best job I never got, and it meant I was available for The Godfather Part II."

This pivotal role in The Godfather Part II transformed De Niro's career and became one of the most iconic performances in cinema history. His portrayal of young Vito Corleone alongside Al Pacino, who played Michael Corleone, solidified his place in film history. Pacino, who starred alongside De Niro in the Godfather series, also took the opportunity to pay tribute to Coppola, quoting him with a reflection on the challenges and sacrifices of an artist's journey. "The things you do when you're young that get you fired are the same things that years later earn you lifetime achievement awards," Pacino remarked. He went on to express his deep gratitude to Coppola, saying, "Thank you, Francis, for believing in me even more than I believed in myself."

The AFI Life Achievement Award is one of the highest honors given in the film industry. Coppola joins a prestigious list of past recipients, including Nicole Kidman, Julie Andrews, and Denzel Washington. His films, particularly The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, are revered as some of the greatest in cinematic history, and his impact on the art of filmmaking remains profound.