Widely considered to be one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, Al Pacino is known for his intense portrayals of tough guys on stage and on screen. His acting career started in the theatre scene of his native New York in the 1970s. Hollywood soon took notice of his talent and Pacino transitioned into a lengthy film career. He has appeared in many enduring classics of American cinema, including The Godfather trilogy, Scarface, and Carlito’s Way. Over the years has scooped up plenty of accolades, including two Tony Awards, four Golden Globes, and an Academy Award.

In addition to appearing on stage and the silver screen, Pacino has also appeared in multiple award-winning roles in television projects, such as his Emmy and Golden Globe-winning performances as Roy Cohn in Angels in America and Jack Kevorkian in You Don’t Know Jack, both produced by HBO. He has also played musician and record producer Phil Spector and disgraced Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in films for the premium cable network. Pacino’s resume is stacked with credit after credit and for this list, we’ll look at some of his lesser-talked-about roles, from a colorful comic book villain to the Devil himself.

10 Dick Tracy

In actor-producer-director Warren Beatty’s 1990 film adaptation of the iconic comic book detective Dick Tracy, Al Pacino chews up the scenery from beginning to end as villain Alphonse “Big Boy” Caprice. Beatty stars as Tracy opposite Pacino and Madonna. In the film, Tracy faces off against Pacino’s over-the-top Caprice, who uses his crime syndicate to expand his influence around the city.

Even though the main squad of villains in the movie are buried underneath Academy Award-winning prosthetic make-up, Pacino makes sure every last bit of his bravado shines through as he continuously berates his cartoonish crew of gangsters including Flattop and Pruneface for not dispatching the titular yellow trench coat-wearing cop. In this age where seemingly every other film based on a comic is gritty and realistic, Dick Tracy is a refreshing reminder that comic book movies are supposed to be fun and even a little silly.

9 The Devil’s Advocate

Pacino swings for the fences in the stylish 1997 supernatural thriller The Devil’s Advocate, where he portrays John Milton, head of an exceptionally powerful and well-connected New York law firm, who recruits a determined district attorney from Florida named Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) to come work for him. Once Kevin and his loving wife Mary Ann (Charlize Theron) move to the Big Apple, they both experience hellish and increasingly horrifying occurrences, including hearing voices in their palatial apartment, seeing demonic visions, and having a complete mental breakdown.

Throughout the film, Pacino as Satan waxes philosophical about the meaning of temptation, the state of the world on the verge of the millennium, and God and the nature of free will. He’s fiery and energetic in the role of the Devil, making this performance and film a compelling watch.

8 The Panic in Needle Park

The Panic in Needle Park, a 1971 drama about heroin addicts in New York’s Upper West Side, was Pacino’s first film role as a lead. Adapted from the novel by writer James Mills, the film tells the story of hustler and addict Bobby (Pacino) and Helen (Kitty Winn), the woman drawn to Bobby’s charismatic persona. In the heartbreaking film, Pacino and Winn do a delicate dance through their codependent relationship. Bobby drags Helen down to his level, where she becomes an addict as well. Bobby steals and pawns while Helen begins turning tricks to fund their despondent lifestyle.

Pacino’s performance is every bit as charming and magnetic as it is terrifying in this dark drama as the audience watches Bobby and Helen become not only addicted to heroin but to each other and the ups and downs of their toxic relationship.

7 Cruising

A killer is on the loose in New York City, murdering and dismembering gay men in the underground leather scene in Cruising, directed by Hollywood legends William Friedkin. Pacino plays Steve Burns, the cop assigned to the case in this 1980 crime thriller. In the film, Burns is a similar physical type to the other victims, so he is told to go deep undercover into the seedy gay S&M scene in order to draw out the killer.

Pacino is all simmering ferocity, playing it cool as he accepts this dangerous task before allowing his darker, wilder side to emerge in the gay bars as his undercover work starts to take a toll on his psyche. The film opened to controversy due to a hearty reaction from the LGBT community and a lackluster response from critics which was reflected in box office numbers.

6 Donnie Brasco

Based on the true story of an FBI agent working undercover in the infamous Bonnano crime family, Donnie Brasco stars Pacino alongside Johnny Depp in this 1997 crime drama. Depp plays Joseph Pistone who assumes the name of Donnie Brasco for his assignment. Pacino plays Lefty Ruggiero, a Mafia hitman who takes Brasco under his wing, ignorant of Brasco’s true identity. Lefty and Donnie build a rapport, with Lefty vouching for Donnie’s character and confiding in him a desire to be more than just a Mafia underling.

In the film, Pacino assumes the role of mentor, friend, and father figure to Depp’s Brasco. However, there is but one inevitable conclusion for the Mob when dealing with a rat. Pacino’s performance in the film solidified his status as one of the all-time greats.

5 Frankie and Johnny

Al Pacino plays a romantic lead opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in the 1991 comedy-drama Frankie and Johnny. Based on the Terrence McNally play Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, this romantic comedy pairs Pacino and Pfeiffer for the first time since appearing together in Scarface. Pacino plays Johnny, a recently released ex-convict who gets a job as a short-order cook at a diner and Pfeiffer plays Frankie, a waitress at the diner who is emotionally guarded after a traumatic heartbreak. He doggedly pursues her and she continuously rebuffs his advances.

Eventually, Johnny starts to melt her heart and they get to know one another. Pacino is charming here, playing against type and showing off his versatility as an actor. He brings dignity and humanity to Johnny and Pacino’s chemistry with Pfeiffer is mesmerizing.

4 The Insider

The Insider, a tense 1999 drama based on a true story about a whistleblower in the tobacco industry, stars Pacino as CBS producer and investigative journalist Lowell Bergman and Russell Crowe as whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand. Wigand wants to expose the multiple falsehoods of the tobacco industry about the dangers of smoking cigarettes and needs Bergman to help him by airing it on 60 Minutes.

Through numerous intimidation tactics to keep him quiet, Wigand is determined to reveal the truth. Pacino and Crowe navigate through the suspenseful drama, playing off of one another well. Pacino is commanding in the role of Bergman, a determined newsman who has to deal in media network politics but also deeply wants to help Wigand reveal the truth behind Big Tobacco’s lies and their effects on the health of Americans.

3 Insomnia

Christopher Nolan directed Insomnia, a 2002 psychological thriller starring Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, and Maura Tierney. In the film, Pacino stars as veteran LAPD Detective Will Dormer, tasked with going to an Alaskan town called Nightmute to investigate the murder of a young woman and find her killer. Wracked with nerves about an impending Internal Affairs hearing and guilt over a deadly mistake made in the field, Dormer suffers from an awful bout of insomnia, made worse by the permanent daylight in Alaska at that time of year. A taut cat-and-mouse game ensues between Dormer and the killer. Pacino portrays Detective Dormer as emotionally heavy, nervous, world-weary, and fatigued but still tenacious, delivering a riveting performance of a man battling his inner demons and slowly losing his grip.

2 Danny Collins

Pacino earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor - Musical or Comedy for Danny Collins, a 2015 comedy-drama that also stars Christopher Plummer, Annette Benning, Bobby Cannavale, and Jennifer Garner. Inspired by a true story, Pacino stars as Danny Collins, an aging rock star who receives a letter written to him by John Lennon. Danny takes it as a sign to make changes in his life and find redemption. He decides to stop touring and instead travels to New Jersey to reconnect with those he has neglected including his adult son, played by Cannavale.

Pacino, typically known for tougher, darker roles, eases into his performance here as a father trying to make amends with warmth and a wicked sense of humor. Even this long into his storied career, Pacino still makes surprising choices.

1 Simone

Viktor Taransky, an on-the-outs director, has to find a replacement for his lead actress after she refuses to finish his latest film. Instead of casting someone new, Taransky opts to create a new actress entirely out of code. Pacino plays Taransky in the 2002 sci-fi satire Simone. After a while, the elaborate ruse becomes too much for Viktor to manage. As he continues to try and render her obsolete through media gaffes, the world only clamors for more of Simone. It seems prophetic, given the celebrity-obsessed culture of today.

Pacino is funny in the role, darting between stressed out and having bursts of brilliant ideas for Simone’s next venture. He appears alongside Catherine Keener, Evan Rachel Wood, and model Rachel Roberts as the titular starlet.