While it’s true that Hollywood stars are the masters of their sea when it comes to the career they want to build in the industry, there are situations that sometimes just stick for eternity. A very fine example of this would be to look at actor Richard Gere, who was forever titled a s*x symbol by the masses in his career.
While he never wanted to be labeled as something in Hollywood other than a successful and talented actor, it was the circumstances that changed the narrative. And while he was pretty popular because of that title, he didn’t like it one bit, which almost led him to battle with a talk show host in court when he addressed him with that title.
Richard Gere Almost Took Legal Action Against Talk Show Host Who Addressed Him As A S*x Symbol
The identity of a Hollywood superstar is created through the films they have done in their career in the industry, but not always do they enjoy what comes with that fame. For Richard Gere, it was the label of the s*x symbol of the ’80s and early ’90s in the United States after he was featured in his iconic 1980 film American Gigolo. His raw performance and appeal were enough to convince the ladies that he was their symbol of desire from then on. But contrary to popular belief, he never liked that label, something that he made known to a talk show host.
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In a past interview with The Daily Mail, popular talk show host Michael Aspel talked about the time he hosted the Pretty Woman star on his show. He said that while introducing Gere on the show, he referred to him with his popular tag, something that the star usually avoided in public since he is also a humanitarian. Therefore, after they shot the episode, he received a call from Gere‘s team demanding them to cut out that reference from the final cut or they would take legal action. Remembering this, he said:
“When Richard Gere came on the show, I introduced him, and at the end I said, and ‘he’s done this, he’s done that,’ and I used the phrase’ sex symbol.’ After the interview, we had a phone call from his agent saying if I didn’t remove the sex symbol thing, they were going to take it up with their lawyer. He would not be known as a sex symbol. It was very odd. But he took himself very seriously, because he did a lot of stuff for the people of Tibet.”
While his method may have been a little too intense, it was obviously necessary since he had his reputation to protect.
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What Was American Gigolo About?
Bringing the world of lust and sin in front of the public’s eye, American Gigolo also tells the tale of crime that emerges through them. The film stars Gere as Julian, a male escort who lives his life unconnected to anything and provides s*xual services to anyone for the right price. This one day leads him to be required by a couple.
But when he reaches the couple, he gets increasingly tense and uncomfortable by just how aggressively demanding they are and leaves them. But later, the husband is found to be murdered, and he finds himself as the prime suspect of the crime.
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American Gigolo, streaming in Prime Video.
