Released in 1990,Pretty Womanis commonly cited as one of the best romantic comedies ever, but Julia Roberts hinted at an alternate ending that could rock the boat. As one ofthe most beloved rom-comsof the ’90s,Pretty Womanstarred Richard Gere and Julia Roberts side by side in a tale of a rich man and a sex worker getting to know each other. The narrative lends itself to discussions of the Cinderella narrative, while the recent success ofAnorahas also invited comparisons.
Anoramay be a darker version ofPretty Woman, which shows a more realistic conclusion to the affair depicted, but perhaps the latter ended before we saw everything.I likedPretty Womanand its happy ending, but I’m not normally one for such easy solutions.And, Roberts may actually agree, taking the movie’s ending even further in her head.
Julia Roberts' Theory On Vivian & Edward’s Fates After Pretty Woman
Julia Roberts Has An Interesting Take On Pretty Woman
Speaking toCBS Mornings,Julia Roberts confirmed that she thought that Edward Lewis died in his sleep,leaving Vivian Ward with everything. Wealthy corporate raider Edward is played by Gere, while the escort, Vivian, is played by Roberts. Specifically, Roberts said: “I think he passed away peacefully in his sleep from a heart attack, smiling. And now she runs his business.” I agree that this makes sense, consideringthe age gap between the twoPretty Womanloversand how capable Vivian showed herself to be. This could have easily transpired after the events of the movie.
Julia Roberts' Pretty Woman Theory Works (& Reverses The Scrapped Original Endings)
Pretty Woman’s Ending Changed
Roberts' headcanon on the fates of Edward and Vivian works for their characters and stories, and I like how it also cancels the movie’s original ending.Pretty Woman’soriginal endingwas totally different from the happy conclusion of the final result. The movie was originally a far darker story, with Edward throwing Vivian out and leaving her with $3000. This would have been hard-hitting, referring to the movie’s original title,3000. While I like this twist on Disney’s status quo,I foundPretty Womaninspiring in that it empowered the working class to a certain extent.
The movie’s view on sex work is outdated and problematic — Vivian didn’t really need to be rescued.
I always thought it was motivating how Vivian adapted to Edward’s world without changing her core personality, bringing the down-to-earth light of humor and honesty into a pretentious universe. The movie’s view on sex work is outdated and problematic — Vivian didn’t really need to be rescued. But I like that Julia Roberts followed director Garry Marshall’s final decision on the movie through to its logical conclusion. In her take onPretty Woman, not only was Vivian not discarded, but she learned key skills from Gere and made their empire sustainable.
Pretty Woman
Cast
Directed by Gary Marshall, Pretty Woman stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere as Vivian Ward and Edward Lewis. Lewis is a wealthy New York businessman who hires Hollywood sex worker Ward to accompany him during his stay in Los Angeles. Initially wary of each other, the couple’s relationship grows steadily deeper over Lewis' stay, causing Ward to begin to rethink her career path.
