Mel Gibson was originally considered to play the love interest ♥️
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huwdj — 10 months ago(May 11, 2025 05:51 AM)
I imagine there are lists of young actors at the time who were briefly considered and there was never much chance he would have been picked. But in an alternative universe I wonder if he was unlucky enough to get the role and his career was thereafter doomed, like Michael Beck's.
I have always depended on the kindness of Strangers - and the bastards let me down! -
geewizzz — 10 months ago(May 11, 2025 07:17 AM)
Mel's first movie was
Summer City
, which is a very different role than anything that came after. Most have not seen it, since it was a low budget Australian film.
Mad Max
quickly became a cult hit and that launched his career.
I guess the director of
Xanadu
was going more for an Andy Gibb type.
They might've also went with John Travolta, but he went Country with
Urban Cowboy
after
Moment By Moment
tanked and he refused to do the Richard Gere role in
American Gigolo
due to nudity.
This was made during the tail end of the disco era, and Hollywood was trying to be trendy…but it was also during the height of cocaine, and it shows.
None of the roller disco movies were successful.
Patrick Swayze and Scott Baio tanked with
Skatetown, U.S.A.
Linda Blair didn't turn enough heads with
Roller Boogie
and her leading man, Jim Bray, came off like a Jimmy McNichol or Shaun Cassidy wannabe.
I guess Rex Smith was waiting in line for that role…lol
It was a disaster for Cher as well, since
Hell On Wheels
didn't clime the charts.
The film was originally going to be titled
Hell On Wheels
…but the obvious Exorcist pun would've made it into a bigger joke.
It marked the turning point of Linda Blair's descent into B-movie hell.
Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner tanked with The Village People movie,
Can't Stop The Music
.
Even Donald Trump could not save that one from being a huge disaster.
Peter Frampton flopped with
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
And even Michael Jackson flopped with
The Wiz
, which ended Diana Ross' acting career for good.
The music industry was struggling in that period as well.
MTV helped save them a couple years later, which was ironic, since the music industry was against the idea of MTV before it first launched in 1981.
Many of the record labels refused the channel from showing their music videos.
But MTV viewers proved that the music industry was out of touch at that time.
If it weren't for MTV, we would've been forced to listen to more Air Supply, REO Speedwagon, ABBA, Cliff Richard, Barbara Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Sheena Easton and Andy Gibb
Are you okay?
️ Christina 1986-05-20 
..?
️