Who played young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II?

Robert De Niro played young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II.

De Niro’s performance covers Vito’s early life, beginning with his childhood in Sicily and continuing through his arrival in New York and rise within the neighborhood’s criminal world. These scenes are intercut with Al Pacino’s story as Vito’s son Michael.

De Niro won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the role. His performance also created a connection between the first film and its sequel: Marlon Brando played the older Vito in The Godfather, while De Niro portrayed the character at an earlier age.

A common error is to say De Niro played Michael. Michael is played by Pacino throughout the trilogy. De Niro’s Vito is a younger version of the same character Brando portrayed.