Richard Gere, the renowned Hollywood icon, has recently expressed his thoughts on his role opposite Julia Roberts in the legendary 90s romantic comedy, Pretty Woman. Gere, now 75, has an illustrious career spanning decades with notable films like An Officer and a Gentleman and American Gigolo under his belt. However, his heart-throb status as a leading man was solidified in the 90s when he starred alongside Roberts, now 56, in the 1990 Garry Marshall-directed classic.

Pretty Woman, a film that has become a cornerstone of the rom-com genre, features Roberts as Vivian, an escort hired by Edward, a wealthy businessman played by Gere, to accompany him to social events. As the story progresses, a genuine connection blossoms between them. Despite the film’s success and its beloved status, Gere recently revealed at the Venice Film Festival that he found his character Edward to be “criminally underwritten.” The actor humorously described Edward as “basically a suit and a good haircut.”

Gere reflected on a memorable scene from the movie—the steamy piano sequence where Edward undresses Vivian and places her atop the instrument in a luxurious ballroom setting at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. He laughed about the lack of chemistry he felt at the time between himself and Roberts during that scene, despite its sensual nature. Gere shared that the scene was improvised based on director Marshall’s suggestion to envision what Edward might do in such an intimate setting. Although not originally in the script, this improvisation became integral to the film’s narrative, revealing a more profound, moody side of Edward’s character that Vivian hadn’t seen before.

Pretty Woman was a monumental hit, grossing over $463 million worldwide on a modest $14 million budget. The on-screen pairing of Gere and Roberts was so successful that they reunited in 1999 for another romantic comedy, Runaway Bride, also directed by Marshall and featuring Pretty Woman co-star Héctor Elizondo. Despite mixed reviews, Runaway Bride also enjoyed commercial success, earning $309.5 million globally from a $70 million budget.

In Gere’s upcoming film Oh Canada, which premiered at Cannes, he undergoes a dramatic transformation to portray Leonard Fife, an 81-year-old terminally ill documentary filmmaker and writer. Fife’s story unfolds as he agrees to have his final testament filmed by his former students. The narrative reveals Fife’s escape to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War draft. Gere described the transformation process as “freaky,” noting how much he resembled his late father, Homer Gere, who passed away at 100 years old in March 2023. Embracing this resemblance brought an emotional depth to his performance.

In addition to Oh Canada, Gere is set to star in The Making Of alongside Diane Keaton and Blake Lively. This film explores the lives of long-married filmmakers who cast actors to play their younger selves in a movie about their romance, only to see their own marriage unravel as filming begins.

Richard Gere’s breakthrough role came in 1977 with Looking for Mr. Goodbar. As fans eagerly await Oh Canada’s official release date in 2024, Gere continues to captivate audiences with his versatile acting and compelling performances.

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