Released in 1990, Pretty Woman is 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 of the most beloved rom-coms of the ’90s, Pretty Woman starred Richard Gere and Julia Roberts side by side in a tale of a rich man and a Sєx worker getting to know each other. The narrative lends itself to discussions of the Cinderella narrative, while the recent success of Anora has also invited comparisons.

Anora may be a darker version of Pretty Woman, which shows a more realistic conclusion to the affair depicted, but perhaps the latter ended before we saw everything. I liked Pretty Woman and 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 to CBS 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 pᴀssed away peacefully in his sleep from a heart attack, smiling. And now she runs his business.” I agree that this makes sense, considering the age gap between the two Pretty Woman lovers and 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’s original ending was 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 тιтle, 3000. While I like this twist on Disney’s status quo, I found Pretty Woman inspiring in that it empowered the working class to a certain extent.

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 The movie’s view on Sєx work is outdated and problematic — Vivian didn’t really need to be rescued.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 on Pretty Woman, not only was Vivian not discarded, but she learned key skills from Gere and made their empire sustainable.

Source: CBS Mornings