$463M Julia Roberts Comedy: Car Blunder Creates Entirely New Film, None Makes Final Cut!

An unexpected vehicular mishap during the filming of Julia Roberts‘ $463 million hit comedy caused a shift into an entirely new film narrative, although this footage was ultimately not included in the released version. Roberts first emerged as a notable talent in the late 1980s with her performances in the romantic comedy Mystic Pizza and the drama-comedy Steel Magnolias, earning her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress from the latter. By the 1990s, Roberts was among the top stars in Hollywood, achieving significant success with the blockbuster romantic comedy Pretty Woman, which also brought her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Pretty Woman garnered over $463 million in global box office revenue, ranking it as the fifth highest-grossing film ever at its 1990 release, only trailing behind E.T., Star Wars, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Jaws. Roberts continued to star in popular romantic comedies throughout the 1990s, including My Best Friend’s Wedding, Notting Hill, and Runaway Bride. However, it was her role in the 2000 biographical legal drama Erin Brockovich that won her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

A Misstep Involving a Car in Pretty Woman Paved the Way For an Unseen Film

However, This Footage Was Excluded From the Final Edit

A vehicular mishap during the shooting of Pretty Woman resulted in an entirely different film narrative being captured, but this was not included in the theatrical release. Directed by Gary Marshall, the 1990 rom-com featured Julia Roberts as an upscale escort, Vivian Ward, who is employed by Richard Gere’s affluent businessman, Edward Lewis, for various corporate and social events, leading to a deeper connection as the week progresses. The film also includes performances by Jason Alexander as Edward’s callous attorney and Amy Yasbeck as his spouse.

During a chat with Entertainment Tonight at the premiere of The Electric State, coinciding with the 35th anniversary of Pretty Woman, Jason Alexander recounted his favorite on-set moment from the movie. He and Amy Yasbeck arrived at the Polo Grounds in a Lotus car, and when she slammed the door, the window unexpectedly broke. The director continued filming while the actors improvised for five minutes, creating a completely different narrative, Alexander explained, but none of this footage was included in the final version. Below are his full remarks and a segment of the video:

We were given that incredible Lotus car, and as Amy Yasbeck and I arrived at the Polo Grounds, we were simply meant to exit the vehicle. Yet, inexplicably, when she slammed her passenger door, the window shattered. Gary continued rolling the camera, and we improvised for roughly 5 minutes. We crafted an entirely different film in that time. It didn’t end up in the movie, but it was a highlight for the blooper reel.

The Significance of Jason Alexander’s Anecdote for Pretty Woman

The Freedom to Improvise on Set

Jason Alexander’s recollection underscores how Gary Marshall, a seasoned director known for his comedic work, encouraged spontaneous performance among his actors on the set of Pretty Woman. An iconic moment where Richard Gere jokingly snaps the jewelry box shut on Julia Roberts’ fingers was also improvised, capturing her genuine reaction. Although the improvised scene by Jason Alexander and Amy Yasbeck didn’t make the final cut of Pretty Woman, it would have been fascinating to see their impromptu narrative unfold.