When we talk about iconic rom-coms, Garry Marshall’s ‘Pretty Woman‘ stands out as a film that has both enchanted and divided audiences for over 30 years. With the undeniable chemistry between Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, the movie offered up a modern Cinderella story. But what if we told you that the original version of ‘Pretty Woman‘ was much darker?
Gere’s portrayal of Edward Lewis, a ruthless corporate raider, and Roberts as Vivian Ward, the sex worker with a heart of gold, became the epitome of opposites attracting. But as it turns out, the story we all saw wasn’t the original plan. Here’s what the ending was and how Julia Roberts reacted to it.
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What Was Different In The Much Darker Script Of ‘Pretty Woman’?
The initial script of the film, titled ‘3000‘, was worlds away from the ‘Pretty Woman‘ film. During a 2019 Variety’s Actors on Actors interview, Patricia Arquette, who also auditioned for the role of Vivian, spilled some tea.
According to Arquette, “That movie was really dark and the ending was really heavy.” “It really read like a dark, gritty art movie.” In ‘3000‘, Vivian was supposed to be a hardcore drug addict. She comes across as a sex worker who’s been hardened by the things she’s had to do for survival. The film introduces her as someone who lives in a world where “humiliation is for the shy” and “fear is for the innocent“.
Edward, on the other hand, plays a borderline sociopath who considers her nothing more than a plaything. His wealth and power make him think that all relationships are just transactions.
In the same interview, Julia Roberts recalled the original dark ending of ‘Pretty Woman.’ She said, “[Edward] threw the money on top of her, as memory serves, and just drove away leaving her in some dirty alley.”
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How Julia Roberts Reacted To The Dark Script Of ‘Pretty Woman’
Julia Roberts was fresh off her breakout role in ‘Mystic Pizza‘ when she was offered the part of Vivian. But the original script was so intense, it was a far cry from the type of role she was used to. Roberts has openly admitted that she “had no business being in a movie like that.”
“There was one producer that stayed with the script and then it went to Disney. And I went, went to Disney? Are they gonna animate it? How does this become a Disney movie?” she said.
Roberts stated that Garry Marshal had consented to meet with her in order to cast her in the revised screenplay for ‘Pretty Woman.’ “And they changed the whole thing and it really became more something that’s in my wheelhouse than what it originally was,” she said.
Looking back, it’s safe to say that the change was for the best. ‘Pretty Woman‘ went on to rake in $178.4 million at the U.S. box office. The film is available to stream on Prime Video and Apple TV+.
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