Fioravante (John Turturro), a florist in New York, is puzzled by a suggestion from his bookseller friend, Murray (Woody Allen) that he consider going into the world’s oldest profession. It turns out Murray’s gorgeous dermatologist, Dr. Parker (Sharon Stone) mentioned that she’s looking for a suitable man to participate in a ménage à trois with her and her equally gorgeous friend, Selima (Sofia Vergara). And she’s willing to pay. Worried about the recent closure of his bookshop, Murray starts to think that he can make some good money and help out Dr. Parker by offering up his friend. Fioravante eventually agrees to this crazy plan at which point Murray starts to look for other clients, including Avigal (Vanessa Paradis), the widow of a revered Chasidic Rabbi. Yes, Fading Gigolo, which also features Liev Schreiber and Tonya Pinkins, is a very unusual film borne out of John Turturro’s fervent imagination! Turturro is a magnificent actor (Barton Fink and O Brother, Where Art Thou? are two of my favorite films of all time) and I so enjoyed talking to him about this movie and his partnership with Woody Allen.
Danny Miller: I love watching people’s faces when I try to explain the plot of this movie to them. “Woody Allen is John Turturro’s pimp—”
John Turturro: I know! You can’t even tell them the plot — just tell them to go see it!
So where did you get the idea for this very unique story?
I have a vibrant dream life! I really do. And I just had this instinct that Woody Allen and I would be good together. He’s never really acted with someone like me. I did a little part with him in Company Man that Doug McGrath did but that was it. Woody and I go to the same barber in New York and he was actually the one who first suggested that we should work together. It made me start to think about ideas where Woody and I could team up.
So where did the idea of you becoming a prostitute come from?
I’ve always loved movies about streetwalkers. There are so many in the history of cinema. I thought, hmm, maybe I could be pushed into that because of my financial situation? I started to imagine Woody and me having a small-time business. We were certainly an unlikely pair to be involved in something like that!
Was he already on board when you were writing the script?
Yes. Woody loved the idea. I started writing and he’d give me feedback — mostly telling me how much he hated what I had written! It took me a while to find the bottom of it but I got there! Woody liked that I was going to direct it, too. We wanted to keep the whole thing very small and not have to answer to anybody else. And then, in the middle of working on the script, Woody asked me to direct these three one-acts on Broadway called Relatively Speaking. I got to know him really well during that process. So by the time we did the film we were pretty close. I think what you see in the film is a lot like our relationship — minus the sex business!
How did you come up with your character’s client list?
I wanted to have a rich woman and also one who’s very free. Sofia Vergara’s character was based on this woman I know, Selima, who designs my glasses.
Oh, so you even kept her name?
Yeah! And she even has a little cameo in the film.
I bet she was thrilled that Sofia Vergara was playing her!
She was! They share some…um…physical qualities! Whenever Selima shows me glasses, she sort of puts them on her breasts (Turturro takes his glasses off and holds them in front of his chest) and says “Do think these are good?” And I’m like, “I’ll buy them!” I’ve bought some really ridiculous glasses that way!
I was fascinated by the character played by Vanessa Paradis. Where did you get the crazy idea of putting Fioravante with a Chasidic woman?
I wanted a religious character because I always thought there were so many interesting connections between sex and religion.
I have to admit I’ve always been fascinated by that world. My great-grandparents from Poland were Chasidic.
I’m fascinated by it, too! They’re all different — different sects, different hats, different rules. To be honest, I decided to focus on the Satmars because I like their big hats the most! But I did a lot of research and found these people who left the group and have started their own “lost” communities. They were very helpful to me and to Vanessa.
Despite the unusual content, I really liked how you treated the Chasidic characters. They weren’t stereotypes and you never made fun of them. I also have to say how authentic they looked — even Liev Schreiber’s beard!
Thank you for saying that because we worked so hard! A bad wig would have killed it! I had this great woman who did all the hair. You know, of course, that Chasidic women wear wigs called sheitels so for Vanessa’s wig we went to a real shop where these women go. I asked the owner, Shuli, to give me her “Rolls Royce” of hair and she brought out that wig that Vanessa wears in the film. It reminded me of Julie Christie’s hair in Shampoo. That movie, along with Midnight Cowboy, were real influences on me for this film.
I have to say that I never would have thought of Vanessa Paradis for the part of a Chasidic woman but she seemed perfect!
It was funny — when Woody first met her, she was already wearing the wig and he said, “She’s a real Chasidic Jew! That’s amazing that you got her to be in the movie!” And I said, “No she’s not, Woody!” I was a little reluctant at first but now I can’t imagine anyone else in that part.
And I know that a lot of people in that community come from other countries to get married so Avigal’s accent seemed appropriate.
Exactly. And there are plenty of Chasidic Jews in France. One of advisors on the film who was one of the Chasidic women who left looked like she could have been Vanessa’s sister. The second she met Vanessa, she just poured out her life story to her. Vanessa has this natural empathy and sense of grace — like Audrey Hepburn! Everyone was crazy about her on the set.
Have you had any reactions to the film from the Chasidic community?
No, because they don’t really go to movies! But a lot of orthodox Jewish people really liked the movie. We opened the Washington Jewish Film Festival and also the Berlin Jewish Film Festival. When we showed it in Germany and the characters started speaking Yiddish, the audience just howled because it’s so close to German!
How did Sharon Stone and Sofia Vergara come to the film?
I think the chance to work with Woody Allen was a big draw. And I think they just liked the idea of it. There aren’t a lot of parts for women at that age where they get to explore their sexuality. They thought it was a lot of fun!