Richard Gere Reflects on “Pretty Woman” at Venice Film Festival
VENICE – Actor Richard Gere shared nostalgic reflections on his beloved 1990 film “Pretty Woman” during a masterclass at the 81st Venice Film Festival this past weekend.
While reminiscing about his role as wealthy businessman Edward Lewis, Gere humorously remarked on a particular scene with co-star Julia Roberts, who played the character Vivian. “This actor and this actress obviously had no chemistry between them,” Gere quipped, referencing the scene in which his character undresses Vivian. “I haven’t seen that in a long time. That’s a sexy scene.”
The actor also expressed his belief that his character was “criminally underwritten” in the romantic comedy. “It was basically a suit and a good haircut,” he noted, reflecting on the limitations of the role.
Gere admitted he had no idea how successful “Pretty Woman” would become. "This is a movie, a very small movie with a wonderful director named Garry Marshall,” he explained. “But we were having fun making this little tiny movie. We didn’t know if anyone would ever see this little, tiny movie. No one would ever pay attention to this little, tiny movie.”
In a surprising twist, Gere acknowledged that it was indeed a big mistake to underestimate the film’s impact, as it went on to become one of the top box office hits of its time.
The actor also revealed that an iconic piano scene in the film was improvised. "Garry said to me, ‘What do you do at late at night in a hotel?’ And I said, ‘Well, I’m usually jet-lagged,’” the 75-year-old actor recalled. “So, I’m up all night and usually there’s a ballroom somewhere, or a bar, and I’ll find a piano and I’ll play the piano.”
He continued, “So we just basically improvised this scene. I just started playing something moody that was this character’s interior life.”
Most recently, Gere took on the role of a businessman confronted with his past when he discovers he fathered a child 19 years earlier in the film “Longing.”
