In a recent interview, Julia Roberts spoke about “Pretty Woman” and how, 36 years later, her own perspective and that of the public on the film may have changed.
In 1990, Julia Roberts rose to worldwide fame by starring alongside Richard Gere in “Pretty Woman”, one of the most successful romantic comedies of all time.
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In the film directed by the late Garry Marshall, Roberts plays Vivian Ward, an escort whose life is transformed by a wealthy businessman portrayed by Gere; the role earned the actress her first Academy Award nomination.
Now, 36 years after the release of “Pretty Woman”, Roberts, in a recent interview with Deadline, reflected on how modern audiences might view the story very differently today.
When asked whether she would make the film again, Roberts, 58, replied that with her current age and life experience, it would not be possible to portray the innocence and naivety her character displayed in “Pretty Woman”.
“Oh, it’s impossible. I have so many years of the weight of the world inside me now that I wouldn’t be able to float in a movie like that, right?” she said.
“I mean, not the weight of the world in a negative way, but all the things we’ve learned, all the things we’ve put in our pockets along the way. It would be impossible to play someone who was truly innocent, in a way. I mean, it’s funny to say that about an escort, but I think there was an innocence in her, a kind of… I think it’s just a young person thing.”
On how the romance would be seen by audiences today, Roberts reflected that perspectives on the story would naturally be completely different.
“Well, I think whenever there’s a big passage of time and cultural shifts…,” the actress said. “Think about all the films and plays from the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s — you’d look at them now and think, ‘How did people say and do those things?’” To illustrate her point, Roberts mentioned “Gone With the Wind”.
“I think those are the choices we make as artists, as lovers of art and as people who love to read books and go to the theater, and yes, times change, people change, ideas change,” she concluded.
Images: Touchstone reproduction. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
