Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in ‘Pretty Woman’.Photo:Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock
Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock
When PEOPLE reviewedPretty Womanin 1990, the critic called it “a sweetheart of an old-fashioned romantic comedy” with “charm derived mostly from its cast,” namely starsJulia RobertsandRichard Gere.Audiences agreed: since its release on March 23 of that year, the iconic romantic comedy from directorGarry Marshallhas earned more than $178 million at box offices worldwide.Though PEOPLE wrote “the love story, self-consciously fairy-tale-like as it is, is hard to resist,“Roberts toldThe Guardianin 2019 that “I don’t really think you could make that movie now. So many things you could poke a hole in, but I don’t think it takes away from people being able to enjoy it.“Here, on the film’s 34th anniversary, catch up with its beloved stars, then and now.
When PEOPLE reviewedPretty Womanin 1990, the critic called it “a sweetheart of an old-fashioned romantic comedy” with “charm derived mostly from its cast,” namely starsJulia RobertsandRichard Gere.
Audiences agreed: since its release on March 23 of that year, the iconic romantic comedy from directorGarry Marshallhas earned more than $178 million at box offices worldwide.
Though PEOPLE wrote “the love story, self-consciously fairy-tale-like as it is, is hard to resist,“Roberts toldThe Guardianin 2019 that “I don’t really think you could make that movie now. So many things you could poke a hole in, but I don’t think it takes away from people being able to enjoy it.”
Here, on the film’s 34th anniversary, catch up with its beloved stars, then and now.
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Julia Roberts as Vivian Ward
Julia Roberts in ‘Pretty Woman’ and in 2024.Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock; VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty
Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock; VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty
“It really is not a measure of talent, particularly in the beginning,” she said. “It’s a measure of good fortune — and being able to have your wits about you enough to make something out of that good fortune.”
Roberts was on a hot streak when she got the job, coming off her breakout inMystic Pizzaand her Oscar-nominated part inSteel Magnolias.Pretty Womanearned the star her first Best Actress Oscar nod — a category she’d win 10 years later forErin Brockovich.
In the years sincePretty Woman,Roberts has been everywhere, from popular ’90s dramas and comedies likeThe Pelican Brief, Hook, Sleeping with the EnemyandMy Best Friend’s Weddingto Broadway’sThree Days of Rain.More recently she featured in the limited seriesGaslitandHomecoming.
Off-screen, Roberts, 56, has three teen children withhusband Danny Moder.
02of 06Richard Gere as Edward LewisRichard Gere in ‘Pretty Woman’ and in 2022.Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock; Ernesto Ruscio/GettyGere had been a movie mainstay since the 1970s when he signed on as the somewhat cold workaholic Edward Lewis, with films likeAmerican Gigolo,An Officer and a GentlemanandInternal Affairson his résumé. ButPretty Womanremains a high point.“You can’t program it,“he told HuffPost Live in 2015 of the film’s success. “If you could there’d be a thousand of them now. It had some magic in terms of her, me, the story, the director … it just happened.“He’s been working non-stop in the years since, notably inAnd the Band Played On,which earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination, andChicago,for which he won an Golden Globe for his portrayal of Billy Flynn.Gere, 74, has one grown child with ex-wifeCarey Lowellandtwo young childrenwith wifeAlejandra Silva.
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Richard Gere as Edward Lewis
Richard Gere in ‘Pretty Woman’ and in 2022.Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock; Ernesto Ruscio/Getty
Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock; Ernesto Ruscio/Getty
Gere had been a movie mainstay since the 1970s when he signed on as the somewhat cold workaholic Edward Lewis, with films likeAmerican Gigolo,An Officer and a GentlemanandInternal Affairson his résumé. ButPretty Womanremains a high point.
“You can’t program it,“he told HuffPost Live in 2015 of the film’s success. “If you could there’d be a thousand of them now. It had some magic in terms of her, me, the story, the director … it just happened.”
He’s been working non-stop in the years since, notably inAnd the Band Played On,which earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination, andChicago,for which he won an Golden Globe for his portrayal of Billy Flynn.
Gere, 74, has one grown child with ex-wifeCarey Lowellandtwo young childrenwith wifeAlejandra Silva.
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Laura San Giacomo as Kit De Luca
Lauren San Giacomo in ‘Pretty Woman’ and in 2022.Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy of Everett; Momodu Mansaray/Getty
Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy of Everett; Momodu Mansaray/Getty
PEOPLE’s review called Laura San Giacomo “likably crude, gaudy and gold-hearted” as Vivian’s roommate and colleague, Kit De Luca.
In a 2023 interview on theTwo Dollar Late Feepodcast,San Giacomo said she hadn’t seen the movie since 1990. However it “was really beautiful and fun to work on” thanks in large part to director Marshall. “People loved him,” she added. “He was very fun and joyful.”
San Giacomo, 61, has one adult child with ex-husband Cameron Dye. She is currently married to actor Matt Adler.
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Hector Elizondo as Barney Thompson
Hector Elizondo in ‘Pretty Woman’ and in 2020.Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy of Everett; Rich Fury/Getty
Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy of Everett; Rich Fury/Getty
Longtime character actor Hector Elizondo played kind hotel manager Barney Thompson, who helps Vivian modify her clothes (and attitude) for Edward’s engagements.
Another cast member who started on the Broadway stage, he foundPretty Woman’s success brought him much attention.
Elizondo, already a frequent collaborator of Marshall’s,starred in all 18of the director’s major films. He also reunited with Gere and Roberts in 1999’sRunaway Bride,in addition to working extensively in television through the years, earning an Emmy forChicago Hopeand more recently featuring onLast Man Standing, Grey’s Anatomy, B PositiveandMonk.
The actor, now 87, has been married to Carolee Campbell since 1969, and has one son from a previous relationship.
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Jason Alexander as Philip Stuckey
Jason Alexander in ‘Pretty Woman’ and in 2023.Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy of Everett; Cindy Ord/Getty
Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy of Everett; Cindy Ord/Getty
Jason Alexander was already a household name thanks to a little show calledSeinfeldwhen he took his sleazy turn inPretty Womanas Philip Stuckey, a colleague of Edward’s who figures out Vivian’s true profession and propositions her.
After the casting director got Gere and Alexander together to tape a scene — and Gere gave the recording to Marshall — the magic happened. “At the end of our first day, he went, ‘I was wrong, you’re terrific!’ He did a complete 180,” Alexander shared. “Because of Dianne Crittenden and Richard Gere that movie happened for me.”
Alexander, 64, hastwo children with wife Daena Title.
06of 06Ralph Bellamy as James MorseRalph Bellamy in 1989.Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via GettyRalph Bellamy began acting in the 1930s, earning an Oscar nomination for 1938’sThe Awful Truthand Emmy nods forThe United States Steel Hour, The Missiles of OctoberandThe Winds of War.By the time he signed on toPretty Womanas James Morse — the owner of a company Gere’s character hopes to acquire — he even had a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, an honorary Oscar and a Tony Award forSunrise at Campobello,one of his many lauded plays.PEOPLE’s review said he was “sturdy of voice and still a model of dignity” in the film, “elegantly” stepping into his role.Pretty Womanwould be his last film;Bellamy died in November of 1991following a hospitalization for a lung ailment. He was 87 years old.
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Ralph Bellamy as James Morse
Ralph Bellamy in 1989.Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Ralph Bellamy began acting in the 1930s, earning an Oscar nomination for 1938’sThe Awful Truthand Emmy nods forThe United States Steel Hour, The Missiles of OctoberandThe Winds of War.By the time he signed on toPretty Womanas James Morse — the owner of a company Gere’s character hopes to acquire — he even had a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, an honorary Oscar and a Tony Award forSunrise at Campobello,one of his many lauded plays.
PEOPLE’s review said he was “sturdy of voice and still a model of dignity” in the film, “elegantly” stepping into his role.
Pretty Womanwould be his last film;Bellamy died in November of 1991following a hospitalization for a lung ailment. He was 87 years old.
source: people.com
