Nostalgia
46 Years Ago, Many Doubted John Travolta Could Pull Off This Role, but Then He Proved Them Wrong
John Travolta proved skeptics wrong with his 1980 role in ‘Urban Cowboy,’ transforming from teen idol to leading man.
More than 45 years ago, John Travolta took on a role that many people thought was a mistake. After becoming a superstar with Saturday Night Fever and Grease, some questioned whether the native New Yorker could convincingly play a rugged Texas oil worker.
Decades later, many fans believe that Urban Cowboy transformed Travolta from a teen idol into a true leading man.
According to reports, Paramount executives were not initially convinced that Travolta was the right actor to take on the role of Bud Davis. Determined to prove them wrong, he immersed himself in his character’s world for months and earned the part.
When Urban Cowboy premiered in movie theaters on June 6, 1980, audiences embraced both the film and Travolta’s performance.
“This was the movie that solidified his acting career as a leading man, I think! After this one, if a movie had him in it…I watched it,” a fan recently shared on Facebook.
“Great film. One of Travolta’s best,” added another fan.
“No one could have played his part better,” read a fan’s comment.
An additional Facebook fan shared, “It wouldn’t have been the same if he weren’t in it!!!! Love this movie and the actors and actresses. It made it one of the most loved, watched movies still today!!!!!”
On Reddit, one fan suggested the movie was an “Underrated gem in Travolta’s filmography. Great movie.”
Forty-six years after Urban Cowboy premiered, many fans still view Bud Davis as one of Travolta’s most important and transformative roles.
Casting Travolta as Bud seemed a mismatch to many before the film debuted, but the actor soon proved the skeptics wrong. His portrayal of Bud ultimately became a performance that convinced moviegoers that he was far more than the star of Saturday Night Fever and Grease.
