The $17 million role that John Travolta gave up just days before filming began

However, due to the technical logistics of making a film featuring a rapist, the film could not be made in America as the director was actively avoiding incarceration. Polanski had fled the United States in the 1970s to avoid prison, and if he ever visited the country again he would risk being captured by authorities. However, this being Hollywood, that didn’t stop him from working in a film and making new films that are a damning reflection of the film industry and the importance of women’s safety.

Filming was scheduled to take place at Polanski’s hideout in France, and Travolta traveled there in May 1996 to begin pre-filming rehearsals. However, things quickly went sour and Travolta walked off set just days into filming, with alleged arguments over some recasts of his character, with the actor and director apparently arguing on set.

It was reported that Polanski had added a nude scene to the film without consulting Travolta, and the actor saw no need to include it, leading him to abandon the project entirely. While Polanski tried to keep the film alive, he inevitably failed and the film was killed.

In the months that followed, many conflicting views were expressed, all with different versions of why the film had been such a huge failure. Polanski claimed he didn’t like Travolta’s acting style, and Travolta had to hire a team of lawyers to avoid the legal consequences of canceling the film, which understandably left the production companies very unhappy. The case finally went to court six months later and the case was not resolved until 2001.

While Polanski’s version of this story thankfully never made it to the screen, it was later adapted by Richard Ayoade in 2013, with Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska in the cast. Surprisingly, none of them received anywhere close to $17 million, but at least it was earned, which is far more than Polanski can ever say.

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