Didn’t expect to wake up today and have this be the headline that jumped out at me but here we are: 

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Savage, as the kids say. But it’s not an exaggeration, at least not if she actually said what she said. 

 

So Al Pacino and Meital Dohan were dating about two years. They’re no longer together. According to the Israeli Times: 

“Dohan gave an interview to Israel’s LaIsha magazine after rumors started to circulate when the “Godfather” star attended the Oscars alone earlier this month.
“It’s hard to be with a man so old, even Al Pacino,” 43-year-old Dohan said of her 79-year-old ex. “The age gap is difficult, yes. I tried to deny it, but now he is already an elderly man, to be honest. So even with all my love, it didn’t last.”

 When asked about gifts (and memories), Dohan laughed at the idea that she had much to take from the relationship.

“He only bought me flowers,” she said. “How can I say politely that he didn’t like to spend money?”

The two were together for about two years since meeting at a Hollywood afterparty following a screening, and Dohan said she hopes they will remain good friends.

 

“I had a fight with him and left him recently, but of course I really love and appreciate him, and I was glad to be there for him when he needed me, and to be a part of his legacy,” she said. “It’s an honor for me. I’m glad this relationship happened between us, and hope we remain good friends.”

Um, are we sure they’re still good friends? 

I don’t know if Meital’s words were gentler in translation but if not, well, she got right to the point about why it didn’t work out. It’s a brutally honest answer. But can you argue with it? She’s in her 40s with a certain energy level. He’s almost 80 with a different energy level. Some people in their 80s are like people in their 20s, I get that. That’s not the way Meital is describing Al Pacino though. And on top of the different energy levels, there are different interests. So, yeah, this shouldn’t be a surprise – I guess what’s surprising is the …candour? 

 

Is it too candid? Is it mean? Would we feel differently if a 40 year old man broke up with an 80 year old woman and gave an interview about her being “so old”? And cheap? Yeah, we would. I think we totally would. Is that hypocritical? 

I don’t think so – and tell me if I’m wrong. But aging is different for men than it is women. Our society treats men differently when they age. And for too long, women lost value as they aged. That’s why it’s more common to see older men with younger women. And the older men who date younger women don’t have to “look good for their age”, the way it often is when an older woman dates a younger man. Al Pacino may no longer be dating THIS younger woman but the chances of him dating ANOTHER younger woman are pretty good. And in his circles, socially acceptable. Right? In the spaces where Al Pacino spends time, of course a younger woman would want to be with Al Pacino. He’s Al f-cking Pacino! He’s Michael Corleono. SHE’s the one who should be so lucky to be with him. But it’s not as common to see an older woman with a younger man. And when that happens, it’s the older woman who’s considered “lucky” to be with him. 

So, yeah, we’re good. Meital Dohan might have dumped him. But Al Pacino will be fine.