In 1990, Pretty Woman was released in cinemas around the world and soon after, landed itself multiple Oscar and Golden Globe wins. While the movie was originally met with fairly underwhelming reviews, it has gone on to earn cult classic status and is said to have encouraged the 90s rom-com movie boom. Today's top videos Over three decades later, it's still quoted, rewatched, and loved by viewers around the world. To mark its 31st anniversary, we're sharing some of the most interesting facts about the film and what it took to get it to cinemas. Julia Roberts wasn't the first choice for the movie It's hard to imagine the role of Vivian being played by anyone other than Julia, but there was a long list of actors who were considered and even auditioned for the iconic movie before Roberts was cast. Sandra Bullock, Madonna, Kristin Davis, Meg Ryan, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Molly Ringwald were all considered for the part of Vivian. While Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly both auditioned and were decided to be too young, Diane Lane was actually cast in the role but was forced to pull out due to scheduling conflicts. Neither was Richard Gere Similarly, Richard was not who the producers had originally lined up for the suave suit-wearing, Edward. Al Pacino was seriously considering playing the role before eventually turning it down when he was offered a third Godfather film; fair enough. Burt Reynolds turned down the role while Daniel Day-Lewis, Denzel Washington, and Christopher Reeve also made the list of considerations. Julia was really laughing during that movie scene When Vivian arrives at Edward's hotel room and lays herself down on the ground to watch I Love Lucy on the TV, she wins over viewers with that contagious laugh. Well, there was nothing fake about that as director Garry Marshall had to use some rather bizarre techniques to capture the moment on spontaneity from the star. As Roberts lay laughing, Marshall was just off-screen tickling her feet. The magic of cinema, eh? They didn't intend to give Vivian a happy ending Pretty Woman was in development for much of the 80s so a lot about the original movie changed by the time cinema-goers went to see it in theatres — including Vivian's ending. According to Diane Lane who was originally cast in the role, Vivian was meant to have been left broken-hearted when Edward left her after the weekend. However, in the original script, Vivian had dreams of going to Disneyland, and the money that she made from her time with Edward finally got her there. Thankfully, that's not the ending we got. Vivian's iconic red dress was nearly not red It's the big transformative moment when Vivian appears as the Lady in Red, but she wasn't meant to be in red at all. The studio had wanted the dress to be black but the film's costume designer Marilyn Vance was determined for Vivian to wear read. After a lengthy debate, three different costume changes and multiple test shots, the studio eventually gave in and now, we can't imagine her in anything else. Some of those scenes were unscripted There is an endless list of iconic moments in the movie, but one, in particular, was totally unscripted. After Vivian emerges in said red dress, Edward presents her with a gorgeous diamond necklace to complete to look before snapping her fingers with the box. In reality, Julia Roberts was not feeling well when shooting the scene and Richard Gere snapped the box shut as a way to make her laugh and she did. The moment was never meant to be kept in the final film but director Garry Marshall loved the realness of the moment so left it in. Richard Gere was really playing the piano In the scenes where we see Edward in the ballroom playing piano, that's no illusion, that's really Richard playing the piano. Not only that, but the piece of music he's playing in the scene is one written by the actor himself. Talk about strings to your bow. The movie has a very different name in China It's not uncommon for movie names to change when being distributed internationally but Pretty Woman goes by a very different title in China. The film was given the name 'I Will Marry a Prostitute to Save Money' when translated in China. And while the name is obviously terrible, it also isn't even appropriate for the story. The movie nearly had a very different name altogether Maybe the Chinese translation of Pretty Woman would have been easier had the studio gone with its original idea for the film. The movie was meant to be called '3000' — as in, the agreed-upon price for a weekend with Vivian. It just doesn't have the same ring to it. That's not Julia on the movie poster Prepare to have trust issues after we tell you that that's not even Julia on the movie poster. Well, it is her face but that is the body of her body double, Shelley Michelle, on the famous poster. Julia has long been known for her refusal to reveal her body on screen and even told Garry Marshall she would take the role of Vivian on one condition; she wouldn't be getting naked. Irish viewers can watch Pretty Woman on Disney+ now.
FAQs
10 Facts You Never Knew About Pretty Woman To Mark 31st Anniversary? ›
Casting. The casting of the film was a rather lengthy process. Marshall had initially considered Christopher Reeve, Daniel Day-Lewis, Kevin Kline, and Denzel Washington for the role of Edward, and Albert Brooks, Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino and Burt Reynolds turned it down.
What is a fun fact about Pretty Woman? ›- The movie was supposed to end very differently. ...
- It was originally supposed to be titled '$3,000' ...
- Roberts almost didn't play Vivian: Pretty Woman fun facts. ...
- Gere wasn't the first choice for Edward, either: Pretty Woman fun facts.
Casting. The casting of the film was a rather lengthy process. Marshall had initially considered Christopher Reeve, Daniel Day-Lewis, Kevin Kline, and Denzel Washington for the role of Edward, and Albert Brooks, Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino and Burt Reynolds turned it down.
Did they use a body double in Pretty Woman? ›A classic example is the movie poster for Pretty Woman. Body double Shelley Michelle's body was used, and Julia's head superimposed. When Penelope Cruz's pregnancy started to show during the production of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, her sister Monica stepped in for some of the full-body scenes.
What was the original name of Pretty Woman? ›Julia Roberts was “crushed” when the original version of her hit 1990 rom-com “Pretty Woman” was initially scrapped. “It was going to be a much darker film called '$3,000,' ” Roberts, 56, said, referring to the amount it cost Edward (played by Richard Gere) to spend the night with Vivian Ward.
What makes a girl the most beautiful? ›According to science, men find women more attractive when they are smart, intelligent, caring, confident, humorous, kind, independent, and supportive. Although these qualities may generally apply, what one man may find the most attractive may differ from another.
What makes Pretty Woman so good? ›The combination of appealing leads, killer chemistry, and a banging soundtrack makes Pretty Woman a highly enjoyable film. The story is obviously a bit far-fetched, but who cares?
Who turned down Pretty Woman? ›Molly Ringwald Turned Down Julia Roberts' 'Pretty Woman' Role: 'I Didn't Really Like the Story'
What is Edward afraid of Pretty Woman? ›Edward gets into the car with the chauffeur that took her home, and rather than going to the airport, he goes to her apartment and climbs up the fire escape (despite being afraid of heights) with a rose in his mouth, to woo her like in a fairy-story.
Why was Pretty Woman called 3000? ›Originally called $3,000, the price for Vivian to spend the week with Edward, the film ended with the “couple” separating. The businessman left the young woman on the pavement where they had met a few days earlier, throwing the promised cash out the window in exchange for her company.
What was the big blooper in Pretty Woman? ›
Revealing mistakes
When she rolls over, the line of an elastic band is visible across her stomach, revealing that Julia Roberts (or her body double) changed from briefs to the fancy underwear just before the scene.
-Julia Roberts was only 22 years old when filmed this movie, while her co-star Richard Gere was 40 years old.
Was there ever a Pretty Woman 2? ›OK, so "Runaway Bride" is no direct sequel to "Pretty Woman", but still it's the same team that brought us the latter. And, let's just say that the saying 'never change a winning team' fits the bill for what this movie's concerned. I thought it was very good. Very good indeed.
What is Richard Gere's religion? ›After studying Zen for five or six years, he and Brazilian painter Sylvia Martins traveled in 1978 to Nepal, where he met many Tibetan monks and lamas. He then met the 14th Dalai Lama in India and became a practicing Tibetan Buddhist (specifically of the Gelugpa school) and an active supporter of the Dalai Lama.
How was Pretty Woman originally supposed to end? ›Summary. Pretty Woman's original script had a darker ending, contrasting with the feel-good conclusion audiences are familiar with. The original ending saw Edward and Vivian separate, and Vivian use the money to take Kit on a vacation.
Who is the black guy at the end of Pretty Woman? ›At the end of Pretty Woman—not the end of 3,000—the character known as “Happy Man” (played by Abdul Salaam Razzac), joyfully yells to the characters, the extras, the audience itself: “Welcome to Hollywood! What's your dream?
What is the trivia about the movie Pretty Woman? ›1. Richard Gere was out of the country at the time, so it's actually director Garry Marshall's voice you hear asking for directions at the beginning of the movie. 2. Julia Roberts did all the love scenes herself, but on the poster, that's her head Photoshopped onto Shelley Michelle's body.
What is the message of Pretty Woman? ›impactful message nonetheless. Since no women are shown in positions of power at work, this tells audiences that women are meant to work menial jobs for lower pay because they should have a husband to provide for them. This is also encouraged through Edward's offer to Vivian at the end of their week together.
Why is Pretty Woman a 16? ›Performance Information
Pretty Woman is recommended for those aged 12+ as it contains curse words and moderate sexual references. Children under the age of 5 will not be admitted into the theatre. All persons aged 16 or under must be accompanied by an adult and may not sit on their own within the auditorium.
Overview. The title was inspired by Orbison's wife, Claudette, interrupting a conversation to announce that she was going out. When Orbison asked if she had enough cash, his co-writer Bill Dees interjected, "A pretty woman never needs any money."