AMERICAN GIGOLO Reboot Series Starring Jon Bernthal Gets Season Order at Showtime
The upcoming American Gigolo series reboot has found a home at Showtime with a season order. The new series will star Jon Bernthal, known for his roles in The Walking Dead and The Punisher. The story is based on the 1980 movie of the same name, which starred Richard Gere as Julian Kaye, a high end male escort who is accused of a murder he did not commit. The series will pick up 15 years after he was arrested in the film.
The series was directed by David Hollander (Ray Donovan), who co-wrote alongside Neil LaBute (The Wicker Man, Van Helsing).
Showtime Networks’ President of Entertainment Gary Levine talked about the project in a statement, saying:
“If you haven’t already fallen under the spell of Jon Bernthal, get ready. Jon absolutely owns the screen with his searing, brooding, and vulnerable performance in this contemporary version of American Gigolo. Writer/director David Hollander brilliantly reimagines the seductive original film, confronting the mystery, the exhilaration, and the danger of our deepest desires.”
“Bernthal will play Julian Kaye, who is introduced 15 years after he’s been arrested for murder and struggling to find his footing in the modern-day Los Angeles sex industry while seeking the truth about the setup that sent him to prison all those years ago and also hoping to reconnect with Michelle, his one true love.”
Bernthal is joined in the cast by Gretchen Mol (Boardwalk Empire) as Michelle, a character previously portrayed by Lauren Hutton in the original; Rosie O’Donnell (SMILF) as homicide Detective Sunday; Lizzie Brocheré (Falling Water) as sex work ring heiress Isabelle; Gabriel LaBelle (Dead Shack) as a younger version of Julian named Johnny; Leland Orser (Ray Donovan) as Richard Stratton, a self-made tech billionaire; and guest star Wayne Brady (The Wayne Brady Show) as Lorenzo, Julian’s best friend and mentor.
This has a great cast, and I am 100% on board to see Jon Bernthal in the role of gigolo. Keep an eye out for the show’s release date.