John Travolta Allegedly Rejected 'American Gigolo' Role Due to Gay Subtext, Says Barry Diller

Barry Diller claims John Travolta turned down American Gigolo due to its gay subtext, replaced by Richard Gere.

Hollywood mogul Barry Diller claims John Travolta declined a leading role in American Gigolo over concerns about the film’s gay subtext.

 

LOS ANGELES — A new claim from media executive Barry Diller alleges that actor John Travolta turned down the lead role in the 1980 film American Gigolo because of concerns about the movie's gay subtext.

 

Diller, 83, made the re 0 .3velation in his newly released memoir Who Knew, where he discusses pivotal moments in his career and Hollywood history. At the time, Diller was CEO of Paramount Pictures, the studio behind American Gigolo.

 

According to Diller, Travolta, now 71, was initially cast to play the role of a high-end male escort who becomes entangled in a murder investigation. However, Travolta ultimately stepped away from the project. Richard Gere, now 75, replaced him and went on to deliver a performance that became one of his most iconic.

 

The book details a meeting between Travolta and then-Paramount president Michael Eisner. Diller recounts that Travolta appeared emotionally distressed, citing grief from the recent deaths of his mother and girlfriend, actress Diana Hyland, as reasons for his withdrawal.

 

"He slumped down in a chair in Michael’s office, started to cry and said, ‘I can’t do American Gigolo. I’m too sad. I’m still in mourning. It’s the wrong thing for me to do. You have to let me out of it,’" Diller writes.

 

Eisner reportedly relayed the message to Diller, who expressed skepticism. “He’s faking it and using you,” Diller claims to have said at the time. “It’s too late to recast and he’s perfect for it.”

 

Travolta has not publicly responded to the allegations. The actor has previously discussed his personal grief during that period but has not mentioned American Gigolo specifically.

 

The film, directed by Paul Schrader, was both a critical and commercial success and played a significant role in establishing Gere’s career. Diller’s memoir is already generating buzz for its behind-the-scenes look at some of Hollywood’s most memorable casting decisions.