Who plays Hyman Roth in "The Godfather: Part II"?

Who plays Hyman Roth in “The Godfather: Part II”? Lee Strasberg plays him. Roth is the film’s principal antagonist, an aging Jewish crime financier who works with Michael Corleone on a casino project connected to Cuba and Nevada.

The character is loosely based on Meyer Lansky, a real-life organized-crime financier. Roth’s calm, businesslike manner and international financial interests reflect Lansky’s reputation, although the film reshapes real events for its fictional story. Roth’s famous partnership with Michael eventually collapses when Michael realizes Roth is involved in a conspiracy against him.

Lee Strasberg was better known as an influential acting teacher and director of the Actors Studio than as a screen actor. Al Pacino, who had studied with Strasberg, reportedly helped suggest him for the role. Strasberg’s performance earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

A common mix-up is confusing the actor with the character: Hyman Roth is fictional, while Strasberg was a real theatrical figure. The film was released in 1974 and is both a sequel and a parallel prequel to the original.