Bravo's "Inside the Actors Studio" welcomes legendary Academy-award-winning actor Al Pacino in a special two-hour episode on Monday, October 2 (7-9 p.m. ET/PT). Host James Lipton sits down for a close-up interview with Pacino about his life and career as one of the world's acting icons.

In this special edition of "Inside the Actors Studio," Pacino reflects on his beginnings. The Oscar-, Tony- and Emmy-winner reveals his shyness as a child, his upbringing in a poor family, and the ups and downs he experienced on his path to stardom.

ON WHY THE ACTORS STUDIO IS IMPORTANT TO HIM:
"It's a place I believe in. It's a place where people can come and develop themselves in their work, away from the spotlight. Free to exercise and exorcise."

ON THE ACTORS STUDIO:
"That was the Mecca. The studio was the symbol for the quasi revolution in theatre. Well, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Kazan and Brando, of course, the great James Dean, Paul Newman. It was all part of what you heard as kids. I was just a boy and I was hearing about it. The doors were open to all of us."

ON PARAMOUNT'S RESERVATIONS TO CAST HIM AS MICHAEL CORLEONE IN THE GODFATHER:
"When he (Francis Ford Coppola) got the script of 'Godfather' and he called me and said he wanted me to play Michael... I thought 'he's out of his mind.'… Why use me? Why would I be in that part? There are so many wonderful actors out there who could do it, and they're well known. Even I didn't want me. I didn't think he (Coppola) was right actually. And of course Paramount felt the same way. The reason I was hired in the 'Godfather' finally was because they saw eight minutes of 'Panic in Needlepark.' That is the reason. It was Francis Coppola's persistence, but it was eight minutes from that movie."

ON HIS FEARS OF BEING REPLACED DURING THE MAKING OF "THE GODFATHER":
"I'm still wondering why I wasn't! I was sure I was going to be replaced…and I finally just wanted to be replaced. I thought, 'What am I doing here? This is not working. I don't feel wanted (by Paramount).' An actor needs comforting and a certain amount of feeling that people want you there."

ON ROBIN WILLIAMS:
"As a matter fact, he's one of my heroes. I always try to be him. Any kind of situation, I always try to be like Robin Williams, and be funny. He's my idol! And the one film I do with him is not funny ('Insomnia')."

ON A POST-OSCAR ELEVATOR EXPERIENCE:
"I won the Oscar. I was in shock and overwhelmed by the whole thing. I get in the elevator and I'm going down with a lot of people, we're packed like sardines. And I had my Oscar. A very well known actress is standing in front of me and she starts to squirm a little bit. And I realize the head of my Oscar is touching her behind. And I thought, "oh man, this is so weird." I pick the Oscar up and I leaned over in her ear and said, 'Oh pardon me, that wasn't me, it was my Oscar.'"

ON HIS PORTRAYAL OF ROY COHN IN ANGELS IN AMERICA:
"My Roy Cohn is Tony Kushner's Roy Cohn. I believe that's who wrote it. That's the score. That's what you're playing. You're playing the score. It's not a documentary on Roy Cohn. Those scenes are kind of actor-proof. So brilliantly, beautifully written. And so it's there. The character is there…it's like music. Those are the notes you go to."

- Complete Al Pacino filmography
- Watch Al Pacino movie trailers