Movie lovers get ready to feel old and amazed all at once. The iconic rom-com Pretty Woman is turning 35 years old this year! Yep that movie with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere that you've probably watched a million times premiered way back in 1990. Can you believe it? Let's take a trip down Rodeo Drive and see what makes this movie so timeless and catch up with the cast .
From Almost Losing the Role to Becoming a Superstar: Julia Roberts' Journey to Vivian Ward
Julia Roberts IS Vivian Ward right? It's hard to imagine anyone else in that role now. But get this eight other actresses turned down the part before it landed with Julia. Seriously! Julia herself admits it was more luck than anything else that she got the role that would make her a massive star.
Even after she was cast there was almost a snag. When Disney took over the movie some folks were worried if they could make Julia look fancy enough for the role. Seriously? Good thing they figured it out because Pretty Woman earned Julia her first Oscar nomination and launched her into America's Sweetheart status.
And what about Vivian and Edward today? Well Julia joked in a recent interview that Edward probably "passed away peacefully in his sleep from a heart attack smiling" and Vivian? She's running his business of course! Talk about a power move.
Richard Gere's Improv Piano Skills and Why He Almost Didn't Say Yes to Edward Lewis
Richard Gere was already a movie star when he signed on to play Edward Lewis but Pretty Woman took things to another level. He almost passed on the movie though! He said the character just didn't click with him at first. Thank goodness for Julia Roberts and a Post-it note! During a meeting with Gere Julia reportedly wrote "Please say yes" on a Post-it and slid it to him. It worked!
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when Edward plays the piano in the hotel. Did you know that was Richard Gere actually playing? Director Garry Marshall asked Richard what he does in hotels and Richard mentioned playing the piano. So they wrote it into the movie and the music he plays is something Richard just made up on the spot. Talk about talent!
From Roommate to Grace: What Happened to the 'Pretty Woman' Supporting Cast?
Pretty Woman wasn't just about Julia and Richard. The supporting cast was fantastic too. Let's see what some of them have been up to:
- Laura San Giacomo (Kit De Luca): Vivian's sassy best friend Kit was played by Laura San Giacomo. Before Pretty Woman Laura was in Sex Lies and Videotape. After Kit she had a long career in TV and movies including starring roles in Just Shoot Me and Saving Grace. More recently you might have seen her in Barry or NCIS.
- Héctor Elizondo (Barney Thompson): The kind hotel manager Barney was played by Héctor Elizondo. He was Garry Marshall's good luck charm appearing in 18 of his movies! Barney got him a Golden Globe nomination. Héctor kept working a lot after Pretty Woman including in The Princess Diaries movies Chicago Hope (for which he won an Emmy) and Last Man Standing.
- Jason Alexander (Philip Stuckey): You know Jason Alexander as George Costanza from Seinfeld but before that he played the sleazy Philip Stuckey in Pretty Woman. He almost didn't get the part because Garry Marshall thought he was too young and baby-faced! Luckily he proved Garry wrong. Jason of course continued to kill it as George on Seinfeld and has done tons of stage and voice work too.
- Ralph Bellamy (James Morse): The company owner James Morse was played by Hollywood legend Ralph Bellamy. He had been acting since the 1930s and already had an Oscar nomination and a Tony Award under his belt before Pretty Woman. It was actually his last film role.
10 Fun Facts You Probably Didn't Know About 'Pretty Woman'
Think you know everything about Pretty Woman? Think again! Here are some behind-the-scenes secrets that might surprise you:
- Original Title: It wasn't always Pretty Woman. The original title of the script was $3,000 the amount Edward pays Vivian.
- Darker Plot: The original story was way darker. Vivian and Edward DIDN'T end up together. Vivian was supposed to go to Disneyland with Kit after Edward basically kicked her out. Yikes!
- Almost Scarface Reunion: Michelle Pfeiffer and Al Pacino were Garry Marshall's original dream casting. Imagine that!
- No Kissing Rule: In the movie Edward and Vivian agree "no kissing on the lips". That wasn't in Julia Robert's contract though!
- Real Laugh: Julia Robert's big laugh when Richard Gere snaps the necklace box shut? Totally real! It was Garry Marshall playing a prank to get a genuine reaction.
- Opera Connection: The opera they see La Traviata is actually about a courtesan and a rich guy falling in love. Meta right?
- Walkman Cameo: Remember Vivian's Walkman? Totally 90s iconic.
- Goldfish Joke: During the bubble bath scene Garry Marshall joked about putting goldfish in the tub to mess with Julia.
- Car Trouble: Ferrari and Porsche didn't want their cars in the movie because of the whole prostitute storyline. Lotus Cars ended up saving the day.
- Costume Designer Cameo: The person who yells "What's your dream? Everybody's got a dream!" in the movie? That's the costume designer Marilyn Vance!
Pretty Woman's Enduring Magic and Julia Roberts' Everlasting Star Power
Even 35 years later Pretty Woman still charms audiences. It's a classic Cinderella story with amazing chemistry quotable lines and of course Julia Roberts' megawatt smile. The movie made Julia Roberts a superstar and she has remained one ever since. From rom-coms to dramas to thrillers Julia Roberts has done it all and continues to be one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Pretty Woman might be 35 but its magic is timeless.