There are scenes in the movie where Julia Roberts’ Southern twang becomes considerably noticeable, and this got the attention of the director. When Vivian was at the elevator and exclaimed, “Well, color me happy,” and such similar scenarios, Garry Marshall knew he had to do something about it, so he added bits of details in the script that would cover it.
The story now says Vivian originally comes from the state of Georgia (like Julia Roberts herself, who was born in Smyrna, Georgia) and moved to Los Angeles, where she met Edward.
Gere Almost Didn't Play Edward
It was equally hard to find a male lead actor to play Edward Lewis’ role. Richard Gere wasn’t impressed with the character, and others thought it wasn’t interesting enough to showcase their talents. It was turned down by many actors, and Gere was on the verge of making the same decision.
Any so-so actor in a fancy suit could be Edward, he thought, but what made him change his mind?
Box Office Hit
Far from its original storyline, "Pretty Woman" has become the top-grossing R-rated film ever to be produced by Disney. It ranked third among the highest-grossing films in 1990, generating $463.4 million at the box office, and holds the highest sales in tickets among romantic comedy films in the US.
The movie broke records and made Julia Roberts famous, opening up many more doors for her.
Richard Gere Couldn't Sit Still
Apparently, Gere used to walk around the set a lot when they started filming Pretty Woman. It got to the point where the director even had to have a word with him and actually ask him to please stay still!
Funnily enough, director Garry Marshall supposedly said, "No, no, no. Richard. In this movie, one of you moves. And one of you doesn't. Guess which one you are?"
Meg Ryan Almost Played Vivian
Both Disney and Garry Marshall wanted Meg Ryan to play the role of Vivian. The director thought she was perfect for the part, but when offered, Ryan turned it down. Let's not forget that the year was 1990, and Meg Ryan was still enjoying the worldwide success that came with the beloved film "When Harry Met Sally."
Apparently, Ryan didn't want to damage the "good girl" image that the famous rom-com helped her establish, and so declined to star in "Pretty Woman." Ryan went on to become the "it" girl of the 90s, starring in major films like "You've Got Mail," "Sleepless in Seattle," and "City of Angels." We're happy she did because we can't imagine anyone other than Julia Roberts as the beautiful Vivian.