Barry Diller, in his memoir 'Who Knew', reveals that John Travolta withdrew from the lead role in 'American Gigolo' due to fears regarding the film's gay sub-text. The anecdote describes how Travolta expressed distress over personal losses, using them as a reason to exit the film. Diller believed Travolta was being disingenuous and attempted to convince him to stay in the role, emphasizing the importance of not letting fears interfere with his rising stardom. Ultimately, Diller’s interference worsened matters further.
Diller claimed Travolta approached Michael Eisner, who was Paramount Pictures' president, about stepping back, citing his grief over the death of both his mother and girlfriend.
Diller alleged that Travolta acted his way through his meeting with Michael and that the real reason the star wanted out was his fear of playing the character due to its somewhat gay sub-text.
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