“Vivian was a drug addict, and the story ended with Edward leaving her in an alley, throwing her the money, and driving away,” she said.

The Hollywood star recalled that landing the role filled her with pride, but the project’s cancellation deeply affected her. However, the story took an unexpected turn when Disney decided to acquire the rights.
“When the production company went bankrupt and the film disappeared, I was devastated. It seemed totally unlikely, but they turned it into a comedy,” she confessed.

The film, which grossed $463.4 million at the worldwide box office, tells the story of Vivian, a Los Angeles prostitute who is hired by a millionaire businessman to accompany him to events for a weekend. Against all odds, the two end up falling in love and staying together.

“There was a producer who got the script, and then it went to Disney. I thought, ‘Disney? Are they going to animate it? How does this become a Disney movie?’” she recalled.
Later, the  recounted that Garry Marshall, the new director, decided to meet with her and showed her the new, final script, which featured a romantic ending and was titled Pretty Woman.

“They changed everything, and it really became something more. I think because he’s such a great human being, he met with me because the role was mine for three days and I lost it, and he felt it was only right to meet with me,” she recalled.

The feature film’s commercial success was so great that in 2018 it was adapted into a Broadway musical, with a year-long run at New York’s Nederlander Theatre.
To prepare for her role, the Oscar winner immersed herself in the world portrayed in the film. Barbara Marshall, widow of director Garry Marshall, told Page Six in 2019 that the actress spent time with sex workers to better understand her character. She even recalled a moment when she lost sight of the actress.

“I recruited two young women who regularly attended the clinic and paid them $35 each to meet with Julia. I went back to work, and about 20 minutes later, Julia yelled from the hallway, ‘Bye, Barbara! We’re going for a walk. We’ll come back later. ’ I became worried and called my husband: ‘Your star just left with a group of girls, and I think they’re headed toward Hollywood Boulevard. I’m worried. What if she doesn’t come back?’” she recounted.

Julia Roberts’ Dark Theory About Her Character’s Demise in “Pretty Woman”
Pretty Woman has been the subject of reflection by its protagonist, Julia Roberts, who has shared her vision of the fate of the main characters after the familiar ending.
In an interview with CBS Mornings, the actress stated that she imagined a future in which Edward Lewis, the tycoon played by Richard Gere, had died peacefully in his sleep due to a heart attack.

On the other hand, her character, Vivian Ward, kept Edward’s entire fortune and decided to take advantage of the opportunities provided to become a successful businesswoman, running her own empire.

“I think she died of a heart attack peacefully in her sleep, smiling. And now she’s running her business,” he said.