Al Pacino Donated 'Cruising' Paycheck Over LGBTQ+ Concerns

Pacino revealed in his memoir that he found the 1980 film 'Cruising' exploitative and chose to donate his salary to charity.

Al Pacino described 'Cruising' as exploitative toward the LGBTQ+ community, a sentiment he shared in his memoir 'Sonny Boy'.
Despite initially supporting the film publicly, Pacino was uncomfortable with its portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals after seeing the final cut.
The film faced significant backlash from LGBTQ+ activists during its production, with protests and calls for boycotts.
Pacino chose to donate his entire salary from the film to various charities through an irrevocable trust fund.
The actor kept his donations anonymous to avoid them being perceived as a publicity stunt, seeking to create a positive outcome from the experience.