Pictures of Michelle Pfeiffer as Elvira Hancock in “Scarface” (1983)

Elvira Hancock is a fictional character in the 1983 American mob film Scarface, portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer. This proved to be her breakthrough role. She is the mistress of Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia) and after his death, becomes the wife of Tony Montana (Al Pacino).

Before Pfeiffer was cast as Hancock, Geena Davis, Carrie Fisher and Sharon Stone unsuccessfully auditioned for the part, and actresses Rosanna Arquette, Melanie Griffith and Kim Basinger turned it down. Kelly McGillis and Sigourney Weaver were also considered. Initially, Pacino and director Brian De Palma did not want Pfeiffer to play Hancock as she was an unknown actress at the time, instead wanted Glenn Close to play the role, but producer Martin Bregman fought for her inclusion.

Pfeiffer’s agent called Bregman and requested him to pay for her transportation from Los Angeles to New York City. Bregman refused and Pfeiffer reached the audition theater on the West Side of Manhattan by her own means. Bregman said in a later interview that, after the audition he was sure that she would get Hancock’s part. Pfeiffer said she spent much of the shoot hungry, as she had lost a significant amount of weight to play the role of a coke addict and “couldn’t eat” lest she gain it back.

Scarface is a 1983 American crime film directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, a remake of the 1932 film of the same name. The film tells the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Al Pacino) who arrives in 1980s Miami with nothing and rises to become a powerful drug kingpin. The cast also features Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Steven Bauer, and Michelle Pfeiffer.