Search for the TRUTH…

ROSIE O’DONNELL on playing a tenacious cop in the sequel to a classic 80s film

- NATASHA HOLT

AMERICAN GIGOLO

NEW FROM SATURDAY 10 SEPTEMBER,

PARAMOUNT+ DRAMA

The 1980 neo-noir thriller American Gigolo, written by Paul Schrader and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, helped Richard Gere move into Hollywood leading-man territory as he portrayed a suave high-end escort in LA who’s the prime suspect in a murder case.

Now, award-winning film-maker Jerry is at the helm of a new TV series based on the hit movie, which catches up with the titular character, Julian Kaye, played this time by The Walking Dead’s Jon Bernthal, as he’s released from prison after serving 15 years for a crime he didn’t commit.

Launching on Paramount+ with weekly episodes from Saturday 10 September, the 10-parter is written by David Hollander (Ray Donovan) and sees Julian trying to reconnect with his true love, Michelle (Boardwalk Empire’s Gretchen Mol), as well as hunting those who betrayed him all those years ago with the help of a top cop, Detective Sunday (actor, author and talk-show host Rosie O’Donnell). But they are soon embroiled in a huge conspiracy.

Here, in an exclusive interview, Rosie, 60, tells TV Times what to expect…

Had you watched the 1980 film before you were cast as Detective Sunday?