Julia Roberts was practically an unknown actress when she landed the role of Vivian Ward, and she was ecstatic about it. Her eagerness was held off after the screenplay was sold to Disney after a week, and losing her job had crossed her mind.
Fortunately, executives decided that she could keep her role after hiring Garry Marshall to direct the film. It’s the best decision they’ve ever made.
A Gifted Musician
Very few knew about actor Richard Gere’s hidden talents until a scene in "Pretty Woman" unveiled it to the public. In the hotel lobby, Gere’s character, Edward, glided towards the piano and played a song apparently composed by Gere himself. He didn’t need a double to play the grand piano, evincing his love for music.
Richard Gere also played the trumpet when he was in high school. Although not unraveled in the film, he was also great at gymnastics and even earned a scholarship for that at the University of Massachusetts.
Uma Thurman Was Almost 'Pretty Woman'
The beautiful and talented "Kill Bill" assassin was very close to playing Vivian in "Pretty Woman." The reason we find this interesting is that, apparently, the reason Thurman turned the part down was that the original script was 'too dark,' and she didn't want to play the part of a working girl.
Funny, considering she had played a part in the racy "Dangerous Liaisons" film and was later to play the part of a killer assassin bride (with a love for blood) in the epic "Kill Bill" saga. Oh well, we're happy she stuck with Tarantino.
The Rom-Com Queen
"Pretty Woman’s" script may only have been improvised on the fly, from its dark themes, it had turned out to be a huge success as a romantic comedy. It caused a resurgence of the movie genre, while Julia Roberts became a fitting queen of the Rom Coms throughout the decade.
She would take lead roles in other romantic comedies such as the "Runaway Bride" and "Notting Hill."
The Big Pay-Off
Back in the 90s, a $14 million budget for a film wasn't a small thing. Then again, neither was the whopping $178 million the film earned upon release!
Needless to say, it was a pretty decent return on investment, and everybody was thrilled. There's even a "Pretty Woman" musical playing on Broadway 30 years after the movie's release!