It’s difficult to think of anyone other than Richard Gere as Julia Roberts’ prince charming in the contemporary Cinderella tale, Pretty Woman. When Gere’s character Edward overcomes his fear of heights and scales the fire escape to save Roberts’ Vivian, who is waiting at the top of her metaphorical tower, in the film’s climactic moment, hearts were warmed.
Most people are unaware that Charles Grodin was the original choice to portray Edward, and that it was Roberts who persuaded Gere to accept the part in the timeless classic even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to play the lead.
To discover out what Roberts did, continue reading!
Some secrets were revealed when the actors of the beloved romantic comedy Pretty Woman from 1990 got back again in 2015.
The movie, which starred Richard Gere, a well-known sex icon, and a 21-year-old Julia Roberts, who had already starred in Steel Magnolias and Mystic Pizza, was initially supposed to have a dark plot and be called 3000.
In the original script, a drug-addled prostitute’s life was chronicled. She was eventually thrown from the limousine onto the street, where Edward threw her $3,000 in profits before driving off.
The film was taken over by Disney and turned into the beloved fairy tale that audiences have loved for centuries. Then, the renowned producer and screenwriter Garry Marshall took over as director.
Nevertheless, Gere said no “a few times” when asked if she would like to play the lead in the movie.
It was nothing at all, not even a bit of it. The 73-year-old Gere stated, “It was a suit; you could put a suit on a goat and put it out there, and it would work.” “I understood nothing.”
Still holding out hope for Gere was casting director Marshall, who was also considering casting actor Charles Grodin, of Midnight Run and The Heartbreak Kid.
“Roberts and Gere had the ideal chemistry,” Marshall said.
The multi-award-winning Marshall, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 81, was the director of beloved movies such as Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Beaches, and Runaway Bride (which also starred Gere and Roberts). In addition, he developed TV shows including Mork & Mindy, Happy Days, and Laverne & Shirley.
“I didn’t think the audience would want a dark ending, and it didn’t hurt that I am from the school of happy endings,” Marshall said. “The actors brought such a lovability and charm.”
Additionally, for viewers to truly feel the triumph when Gere and Roberts, two extremely relatable performers, got their “happily ever after,” Pretty Woman needed their pairing.
In the hopes that their bond might land them a role together on television, Marshall tells how he brought the two together and then left them alone in a room.
Gere can’t recall ever seeing Marhsall there.
“I was enthralled; I don’t recall Garry; I just remember the girl,” Gere remarked of his encounter with the 55-year-old Roberts. “I was still unsure if I was going to be in this film. We’re flirting, flirting, nice, nice—we’re getting to know each other.She moves across the desk, picks up a piece of paper, writes something on it, flips it over, and pushes it toward me.Please respond “yes.”
Gere clarified that Marshall was checking in with him over the phone at the moment to see how things were going.
I replied, “Yes!” Gere said, “It was very lovely!”
Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere is unimaginable! That movie is timeless because of the chemistry between those two; they are just so wonderful together. In addition, Gere looks amazing when he scales the fire escape at the conclusion of the movie to save Robert’s Vivian! That is a scene that will always be remembered!
How do you feel about Pretty Woman? Do you envision another actor playing Edward?
