Al Pacino said John Goodman’s performance as Babe Ruth in the 1992 biographical drama The Babe made him a lasting admirer, calling Goodman “one of our greatest actors”. The comment matters because it highlights the esteem in which a highly regarded actor held Goodman, whose work has often been praised despite receiving no Oscar nominations.

The article places Pacino’s remarks in the context of Goodman’s wide-ranging career across film and television, noting his reliability as a character actor. Pacino named Goodman alongside actors he particularly enjoyed watching, including Tom Hanks, while the piece observes that Goodman’s major awards recognition has come mainly from television rather than the Academy.