Pretty Woman shock: Julia Roberts' Vivian DIES in 'dark' alternate ending, exec reveals
PRETTY WOMAN is one of the most popular romantic comedies of all time - but it very nearly ended in a very different way.
Julia Roberts' Vivian was originally planned to die in Pretty Woman
It’s been revealed that Vivian, the character played by Julia Roberts, was originally supposed to die - from a drug overdose.
Former Disney studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg said at a Q&A in New York that instead of finding love with Richard Gere’s Edward Lewis, Vivian would have met a heartbreaking end.
“I can’t tell you how much time we spent debating [that ending],” he said.
“As a script, Pretty Woman was an R-rated movie about a hooker on Hollywood Boulevard.
Richard Gere appeared with the Oscar-nominated star
This moment is one of the most famous in film history
In the original version – it’s pretty dark – I think she died of an overdose
“By the way, in the original version – it’s pretty dark – I think she died of an overdose.
“So convincing [people] that we should make that at the Walt Disney Co., and that it's a fairy tale and a princess movie, a lot of people had a hard time seeing it.
“But, as they say, the rest is history.”
Pretty Woman was one of Roberts’ earliest star-making roles, and the film found instant popularity when it was released in 1990.
Roberts is still a very popular performer
Julia Roberts praised for barefoot protest at Cannes debut
It grossed an astronomical $463.4 million, and earned Roberts an Oscar nod.
The film isn’t the only classic Hollywood gem to have a revelation hit headlines recently.
A gaping plot hole in Die Hard was finally explained last week.