It was 25 years ago when Julia Roberts stole our hearts with her gorgeous smile and infectious laugh—while playing a prostitute. Who knew that a rom-com boy-meets-call-girl story could captivate us still even after all these years?
Monday marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Pretty Woman, a Cinderella-like love story about Vivian Ward (played by Julia Roberts) going from the streets to Beverly Hills thanks to billionaire Edward Lewis (played by Richard Gere), which became a box office hit and a timeless classic.
Pretty Woman is the highest grossing romantic comedy of all time, but the plot wasn't initially meant to be lighthearted. The original script was made to explore the class divisions in L.A. through a more gritty story of a cocaine-addicted prostitute.
By taking the rom-com approach, Pretty Woman sparked the rivival of chick flicks starring leading ladies like Meg Ryan, Sandra Bullock and Kate Hudson.
The film has become a pop culture phenomenon, but there are many things you might have missed in this film. In honor of the 25 years since its release, here are the 13 Easter eggs and slip-ups in Pretty Woman.
1. Director Gary Marshall Makes A Cameo
Few may know that the director made a quick cameo in his iconic film. Director Gary Marshall plays a homeless man in the scene where Richard Gere is asking for direction. You can see Marshall looking through the garage in his cameo.
2. Play On Words
In the scene where Roberts wears that gorgeous red gown, Edward Lewis takes his call girl Vivian Ward to the opera. The name of the opera is actually a play on words. They two go see La Traviata, which is about a prostitute who falls for a rich man. Oh, the irony.
3. Necklace Scene Wasn't Planned
The necklace scene which is probably the most iconic parts of the movie actually was never planned. Gere improvised closing the box on Robert's hand, which led to that laugh. The director thought it was too cute to not include in the final cut.
4. Julia Roberts' Feet Were Tickled
Roberts' laugh is one of the best things about Pretty Woman. But getting her to giggle was a bit of challenge in the scene where she is watching I Love Lucy. Director Gary Marshall had to tickle her feet off camera to get her to laugh that hard.
5. Bathtub Slips
There is a scene where Vivian takes a bubble bath and sings "Kiss" by Prince on her walkman. Roberts actually sings the verses in the wrong order, something only a Prince fan would notice.
That wasn't the only slip-up when it came to the bath scene. Roberts runs across to the bed after coming from the bath, but she has dirty feet!
6. Roberts Was Photoshopped
Everyone knows what the poster of Pretty Woman looks like, but that slim figure does not belong to Roberts. She was edited onto the body of her body double, Shelley Michelle.
7. Gere Ages Before Our Eyes
Yes, Richard Gere makes us swoon, but you may not have noticed how much he aged in the film. On the film's poster, Gere is seen with black hair. However, in the movie, he sports salt-and-pepper locks.
8. Music Man
You may remember the scene where Edward Lewis plays the piano. Gere is actually playing the instrument in this scene, and composed the song for the movie.
9. Hank Azaria Gets A Line
Known as the voice actor on The Simpsons, and his roles in Birdcage, Great Expectations and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Hank Azaria actually had his first speaking role in Pretty Woman as police detective.
10. Easter egg Princess Style
Marshall hid an egg from Pretty Woman in another Cinderella story, The Princess Diaries starring Anne Hathaway. In the fancy dinner scene in Pretty Woman, escargot goes flying from Ward's plate and the waiter says, "It happens all the time," to make her feel better. That same actor who plays the waiter, Allan Kent, was cast in The Princess Diaries and has the same line.
11. Limo Switch
At the end of the movie, Lewis enters a limo outside the hotel, which is grey and a bit shorter in length. After stopping to get flowers for Ward, he is then seen pulling up in a while limo that is much longer. He pops his head out of limo's moon roof to win back his princess.
12. Roberts Food Flub
After their night together, Lewis and Ward sit at the table for breakfast the next morning. At first, Roberts is seen eating a croissant, but when the camera shows her again she is eating a pancake.
13. Cast Reunites
Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Kathleen Marshall and Hector Elizondo all reunite nine years later after Pretty Woman in Runaway Bride.
Speaking of a reunion, the cast and director including Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Hector Elizondo, Laura San Giacomo and Gary Marshall will all get together for the first time since 1990 to reminisce with Matt Lauer on the Today show onTuesday, March 24.
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Photo: Imgkid
