John Travolta Said No To Roles in Four Hit Movies, Only For Richard Gere to Snag All of Them
John Travolta basically skyrocketed Richard Gere’s career by passing on roles.
It's fascinating how the world of Hollywood works. Sometimes, an actor turns down a role, and it becomes a game-changer for another. Such is the story of John Travolta and Richard Gere.
Director Terrence Malick, known for his significant films in the '70s, had his eyes set on John Travolta for his movie Days of Heaven (1978). Travolta even screen-tested for it right after his role in Carrie (1976).
However, due to his commitments to the TV series Welcome Back, Kotter, he couldn't take up the role. Richard Gere stepped in. While the movie wasn’t a box-office hit, it definitely was a critical success, snagging four Academy Awards nominations, and even winning one of them.
This wasn't a one-time occurrence when Travolta gave Gere a chance to shine by turning down a role. It happened again two years after Days of Heaven’s release.
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American Gigolo (1980) is another classic example. The film's director, Paul Schrader, initially wanted Travolta for the lead role. However, Travolta backed out, paving the way for Gere to step in and make the role iconic.
American Gigolo made a solid $22 million in the US box office, and reportedly raked in around 30 million internationally.
In 1982, another hit film starring Richard Gere was released. An Officer and a Gentleman completely secured Gere’s star status. And just as you might have guessed, Travolta actually said no to that role as well.
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The movie was a huge box office hit, bringing in a whopping $190 million, and it only cost around $6-7 million to produce.
In twenty years, even a bigger box office success starring Richard Gere hit the screens. Chicago (2002), a musical comedy, grossed $306.8 million and won six Oscars.
In a 2008 interview with Reuters, John Travolta mentioned An Officer and a Gentleman and Chicago when he was asked about the movies he regretted refusing to play in. He also thought he made a mistake by passing on the role in The Green Mile, which ended up making Tom Hanks an even bigger star.
Sources: Reuters