Trivia for
American Gigolo (1980) More at IMDbPro »

• Christopher Reeve supposedly was offered $1 million to play the lead and turned it down.
  
  
• John Travolta turned down the lead role (which went to Richard Gere). Reportedly, one of the reasons Travolta turned it down was because he wanted final cut and director Paul Schrader would not give it to him. See also An Officer and a Gentleman (1982).
  
  
• Julie Christie originally was to play the role of the politician's wife when Richard Gere was attached to the project, but she backed out when Gere was replaced by John Travolta. Travolta later dropped out and Gere was hired for the film, but Christie was not offered the role that was eventually played by Lauren Hutton.
  
  
• Ferdinando Scarfiotti designed the entire look of the film. However, because of art director guild rules at the time he was not eligible for membership - so director 'Paul Schrader' credited him as visual consultant instead.
  
  
• According to the book "The Meryl Streep Story" (1984), Meryl Streep was offered and turned down the role of Michelle because she didn't like the tone of the film.
  
  
• Chevy Chase didn't like the erotic nature of the film and claimed that the part was largely rewritten at Richard Gere's request.
  
  

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