It takes years for a project in Hollywood to get greenlit. But sometimes, stars align, and the right project falls into your lap. Such was the story of Julia Roberts, who established herself as a movie star with the 90s romantic comedy ‘Pretty Woman.’ But the Georgia-born actress wasn’t what the director had in mind. Molly Ringwald was originally attached to the project.
‘The Breakfast Club’ and ‘Pretty And Pink’ actress Molly Ringwald recently revealed she was the first choice for Vivian. She is the sex worker Richard Gere’s character falls in love with. However, she turned down the opportunity to star in a Garry Marshall movie. She wasn’t on board with the film’s story, finding it “icky.”
Related: Top 25 Romantic Comedy Movies Of All Time
Molly Ringwald Turned Down ‘Pretty Woman’ For Its “Icky” Storyline
Before Julia Roberts, Molly Ringwald was supposed to star in ‘Pretty Woman.’ The Brat Pack actress told The Guardian why she turned the project down. She said, “Julia Roberts was wonderful in it, but I didn’t really like the story. Even then, I felt like there was something icky about it.”
In 2012, Molly Ringwald did an AMA Reddit session where she recalled rejecting the movie. At that time, the draft she received was called ‘$3,000.’ In 2015, Julia Roberts told ‘NBC Today’ that ‘Pretty Woman’ dealt initially with drug abuse. Years later, Ringwald has no regrets about her choice and remains a fan of Roberts’ performance.
In Case You Missed: Why Did Al Pacino Turn Down ‘Star Wars’?
Molly Ringwald Speaks About Being Rejected For Major Movie Roles
Molly Ringwald also spoke about struggling to break out with more dramatic roles. She made her name in Hollywood by starring in John Hughes’ classic teen movies ‘The Breakfast Club,’ ‘Pretty in Pink,’ and ‘Sixteen Candles.’ Unlike Jodie Foster, she found it harder to find “darker roles” as an adult.
The Brat Pack actress also told The Guardian about being rejected for ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ and ‘Working Girls’ during her 20s. She was told the part needed a painful, lived-in experience for which she was too young. She told the outlet, “The ones that I wanted to do, I didn’t get. I was too young for certain roles. I was at this weird in-between stage.”
You Might Also Like To Read: Who Was The Early Choice For ‘The Terminator’ Before Arnold Schwarzenegger?
