Al Pacino Reflects on His Decades-Long Friendship with ‘Wild’ Johnny Depp: ‘He’s Wonderful’ (Exclusive)

Pacino spoke with PEOPLE about his life and career in a conversation surrounding his new memoir ‘Sonny Boy,’ out now.

Al Pacino is reflecting on his friendship with the “wild” and “wonderful” Johnny Depp.

The prolific actor, 84, spoke about his life and career in a conversation with PEOPLE surrounding his new memoir Sonny Boy, including his decades-long bond with Depp and their new film Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness, which Pacino stars in and co-produced with Depp, 61, as director.

“He is a wild fella and he is very creative, and it was fun to work with him. It really was,” Pacino says of their collaboration on the film, which is based on Dennis McIntyre’s play about Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.

“The play itself is different, but the movie has got its own charm and stuff,” the Oscar winner says, adding, “And [the producers] got Johnny. I said, ‘Yeah, Johnny’s great for it.’ ”

Modi marks Pacino and Depp’s first big-screen project together since they co-led the 1997 crime drama Donnie Brasco — on the set of which they first spoke of making a film about Modigliani, Variety previously reported. And they’ve kept in touch.

“I’m working with Johnny again, and Johnny and I get together sometimes. And Johnny and I, he would just say, ‘Here we are. A couple of toddlers,’ ” ,” Pacino tells PEOPLE, adding of Depp, “He’s wild. He’s wonderful.”