Let’s be honest. When Showtime announced they were rebooting a Paul Schrader classic, everyone held their breath. You can’t just replace Richard Gere’s 1980s swagger with a snap of your fingers. It’s risky. But the cast of American Gigolo in the 2022 series wasn't the problem. Far from it. They brought in heavy hitters, people with real grit, yet the show still struggled to find its footing before being axed after just one season.
It’s a weird case study in TV history. You have Jon Bernthal—a man who basically breathes intensity—stepping into the loafers of Julian Kaye. Then you’ve got Gretchen Mol and Rosie O’Donnell. On paper? It’s a dream team. In practice, it was a dark, convoluted noir that left some fans of the original movie scratching their heads while drawing in a whole new crowd of "Bernthal-heads."
The show wasn't a remake. It was a sequel, set fifteen years after Julian was framed for murder. That distinction matters because it changed how the actors had to play their roles. They weren't just playing "sexy." They were playing "damaged."
Jon Bernthal as Julian Kaye: More Than Just a Suit
Bernthal is a force of nature. If you’ve seen him in The Bear or The Punisher, you know he doesn't do "relaxed" very well. He’s always vibrating at a high frequency. For the cast of American Gigolo, he was the gravitational center. Julian Kaye in 2022 is a man who spent fifteen years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He’s out of time. He’s a dinosaur in a world of dating apps and high-speed internet.
Bernthal played him with this wounded, quiet dignity. He’s leaner, meaner, and way more vulnerable than Gere ever was. Gere was a product of the excess of the 80s; Bernthal is the product of the trauma of the 2000s. Honestly, watching him try to navigate a modern Los Angeles while looking for the person who set him up was the best part of the show. He managed to look incredible in a suit while simultaneously looking like he might break down into tears or punch a wall. That’s a tough balance.
The Mystery of Gretchen Mol’s Michelle Stratton
Gretchen Mol took over the role of Michelle Stratton, originally played by Lauren Hutton. In the series, Michelle isn't just a love interest. She’s a woman trapped in a hollow, wealthy existence, still haunted by her past with Julian. Mol has this ethereal, almost ghostly quality on screen. She feels like she’s drifting through her scenes, which perfectly mirrors a character who has been "waiting" for fifteen years.
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Their chemistry? It was complicated. It wasn’t the fiery, youthful passion of the film. It was the heavy, weighted connection of two people who had been ruined by the same event. Some critics felt the pace was too slow, but Mol’s performance was a masterclass in suppressed emotion.
Rosie O’Donnell and the Supporting Players
The most surprising addition to the cast of American Gigolo was undoubtedly Rosie O’Donnell. She played Detective Sunday. Now, if you only know Rosie from her talk show or her comedy, this was a massive pivot. She was cynical, tired, and deeply suspicious. Sunday is the one who originally put Julian away, and now she’s the one starting to realize she might have gotten it wrong.
O’Donnell brought a grounded, blue-collar energy to a show that was otherwise very "L.A. chic." She was the reality check.
- Leland Orser as Richard Stratton: He played Michelle’s husband, a tech billionaire with a lot to hide. Orser is great at playing "nervous energy," and he made Stratton feel genuinely dangerous in a pathetic way.
- Wayne Brady as Lorenzo: Yes, that Wayne Brady. He played Julian’s best friend and mentor. It was a stylish, smooth performance that reminded everyone Brady has serious dramatic chops when he wants to use them.
- Lizzie Brocheré as Isabelle: She brought a European noir vibe to the show as an heiress entangled in the sex work industry Julian is trying to escape.
Why the Production Was a Mess
We can’t talk about the cast of American Gigolo without talking about what happened behind the scenes. It wasn’t all smooth sailing. David Hollander, the original showrunner, was let go by Showtime during production following an investigation into misconduct. This kind of upheaval is death for a new series.
When a showrunner leaves mid-stream, the vision gets blurry. You could see it in the later episodes. The plot started spinning its wheels. Characters would make choices that didn't quite line up with who they were in the pilot. The cast did their best to hold it together, but you could feel the narrative strain. It’s a shame, really. With a bit more stability, this could have been a multi-season powerhouse.
The Visual Language of the Cast
The show looked expensive. Every frame was drenched in neon and shadows. The way the director of photography shot the actors emphasized their isolation. Julian was often framed through glass or reflected in mirrors—a literal "looking glass" into a life he no longer recognized.
The costume design also deserves a shoutout. Julian’s wardrobe was a mix of classic tailoring and "man who just got out of jail" basics. It told a story on its own. The way Bernthal wore a leather jacket compared to how he wore a Giorgio Armani suit showed the two halves of his soul fighting for dominance.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2022 Series
A lot of people went into this expecting a remake. They wanted the 1980s music, the bright lights, and the shallow glamour. When they got a gritty, depressing crime procedural about human trafficking and institutional corruption, they felt cheated.
But if you look at the cast of American Gigolo as performers in a standalone noir, it’s actually quite good. It’s a story about the "after." What happens after the credits roll on the sexy thriller? Usually, it's a lot of court dates, trauma, and broken lives. That’s what this show explored. It was brave, even if it didn't always land the jump.
Real-World Impact and the Cancellation
Showtime officially canceled the series after one season in early 2023. It was part of a broader "cleansing" at the network as they merged with Paramount+. Unfortunately, American Gigolo fell victim to corporate restructuring.
The fans who did stick around were devastated. There were so many unanswered questions. Who was the ultimate architect of the frame-up? What happened to Julian and Michelle? We’ll likely never know. But the show remains a cult favorite on streaming platforms because the performances were just that strong.
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Actionable Takeaways for Fans of the Genre
If you’re diving into the world of American Gigolo (2022) or looking for something similar, here is how to process the experience:
- Watch for the Acting, Not the Plot: If you get frustrated by the slow burn, focus on Bernthal and O’Donnell. Their scenes together are the highlights of the series.
- Compare to the 1980 Film: Watch the original movie first. It makes the 2022 series much more interesting when you see how they subverted the original tropes.
- Check Out "Paul Schrader" Style: If you liked the "lonely man in a room" vibe, watch First Reformed or The Card Counter. This series tried to mimic that Schrader energy, even though he wasn't directly involved in the show.
- Follow the Cast's Next Moves: Since the cancellation, Jon Bernthal has moved back to the MCU for Daredevil: Born Again, and Rosie O’Donnell continues to take on gritty character roles. Their work in Gigolo served as a great "re-introduction" to their dramatic range.
Basically, the 2022 series was a beautiful, flawed experiment. It proved that you can't always go home again, but you can certainly try to rebuild the house with a really talented group of people.
To get the most out of the series now, treat it as a limited-run character study rather than a sprawling mystery. Focus on Julian's internal journey of reclaiming his identity after fifteen years of silence. It’s a heavy watch, but for fans of neo-noir, it’s a necessary one. Check the streaming availability on Paramount+ to catch the eight episodes that were produced before the curtain closed.