> At a Glance
> – Julia Roberts says she couldn’t play Vivian now: “too many years of the weight of the world”
> – The 1990 hit turns 35 in 2025; Roberts reflects on its innocence and shifting cultural lens
> – She stands by the film, noting every era’s art ages differently
> – Why it matters: Nostalgic fans and new viewers debate the modern-day message of the classic rom-com
Thirty-five years after Pretty Woman hit theaters, Julia Roberts is candid about why she couldn’t slip back into Vivian’s thigh-high boots.
The Weight of Experience
In a Jan. 6 interview with Deadline, the 58-year-old Oscar winner admitted the lightness needed for the role is gone. “I have too many years of the weight of the world inside of me now,” she said, adding that the innocence she brought to Vivian would be impossible to re-capture.
Changing Cultural Lens
Roberts acknowledged that modern audiences often re-evaluate older films:
- She compared Pretty Woman to Gone With the Wind-once beloved, now scrutinized
- The actress argues every generation re-examines art through its own values
- “Times change, people change, ideas change,” she noted
From Dark Script to Fairy-Tale
Roberts revealed the project began as 3,000, a bleak drama that ended with Vivian abandoned in an alley. After the indie studio collapsed, Disney and director Garry Marshall transformed it into the romantic hit we know today.
Key Takeaways
- Roberts believes the innocence she brought to Vivian at 21 is now irreplaceable
- She views Pretty Woman as a product of its era, no more outdated than 1930s or 1940s films
- The original gritty ending was scrapped, paving the way for a box-office smash that earned Roberts an Oscar nomination
Whether seen as retro charm or retro problem, Pretty Woman‘s legacy keeps shifting-just as Roberts keeps reflecting.
