Back in the early ’60s, Burt Reynolds began his acting journey with roles in TV shows like Gunsmoke and smaller films such as Navajo Joe.

While he was a well-known and beloved figure, he wasn’t yet recognized as an award-winning star.

Everything changed when he landed a role in the thriller Deliverance, sharing the screen with actors Jon Voigt and Ned Beatty.

Directed by Jon Boorman, the film depicted the harrowing tale of four men whose peaceful canoe trip turned into a nightmare encounter with hostile locals.

Reynolds received high praise for his portrayal of the confident outdoorsman Lewis Medlock, setting him up as a strong contender for a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

However, just after wrapping up filming for Deliverance, Reynolds made a bold move that he believed would be both humorous and impactful.

He agreed to pose n^de for a centerfold feature in Cosmopolitan magazine, at the urging of daring editor Helen Gurley Brown.

This decision solidified his status as a s** symbol but, in hindsight, he admitted that it hindered his prospects as a serious actor at a crucial moment in his career.

In a revealing documentary called I Am Burt Reynolds, recently broadcast on the CW, footage captured Reynolds expressing remorse over the controversial photoshoot.

He confessed that he would never have agreed to it if Deliverance hadn’t already been completed, unaware that the entertainment industry’s elite would view it as tasteless rather than amusing.

Reflecting on the incident, Reynolds stated, “It was meant to be lighthearted, a satirical response to the male chauvinistic ideals propagated by Playboy.

They were making a statement, and it was accurate.”

However, he couldn’t ignore the negative impact it had on his professional trajectory.

Director Adam Rifkin, who collaborated with Reynolds on The Last Movie Star, shared insights in the documentary about how the centerfold episode affected the actor’s career.

According to Rifkin, Reynolds firmly believed that the provocative photo shoot cost him a shot at an Oscar nomination for Deliverance, transforming him from a serious actor into a s** symbol overnight.

Nancy Lee Hess, Reynolds’ niece, also weighed in on the matter during I Am Burt Reynolds, expressing that while many found the centerfold amusing, Hollywood did not endorse it.

On the contrary, Jon Voight offered a differing perspective in the documentary, asserting that the controversial move actually elevated Reynolds’ career instead of derailing it, highlighting his audacious spirit and unique sense of humor.

In later years, during a candid interview with Piers Morgan in 2012, Reynolds admitted that his initial nonchalance about the centerfold had given way to embarrassment.

He revealed that he felt the photo shoot may have cost some of his co-stars in Deliverance potential Academy Awards, emphasizing the unintended consequences of his decision.

In his autobiography, My Life, published in 1994, Reynolds recounted how the centerfold incident intensified the admiration he received from female fans, noting a shift in audience perceptions from profound respect to more superficial interests.

Despite the mixed reactions, Reynolds maintained his sense of humor, even joking about the controversy surrounding the size of his hands in relation to the suggestive pose.

As the entertainment industry and fans alike continue to reflect on Burt Reynolds’ multifaceted legacy, the iconic 1972 Cosmopolitan centerfold remains a pivotal moment that shaped his career trajectory and public image, underscoring the complexities of fame and perception in Hollywood.