In an interview with People and Entertainment Weekly Network in 2017, Russo claimed the fight between him and Caan in The Godfather was more real than many might assume.

"We choreographed that scene for about a day and a half," Russo said. "Jimmy got a little aggressive, I would say, and he improvised a few things like that little billy club he threw at me when I came off the stoop. He hit me right in the head with that, and then he throws me over the railing and he's biting my hands… And then when I crawl out, he literally lifted me up with his kick. Now, we had it all timed, none of that was supposed to happen."