Molly Ringwald reveals why she turned down the lead role in Pretty Woman

Simon Kelly

The successful rom-com propelled a young Julia Roberts to stardom.

American film star Molly Ringwald revealed the reason she turned down the opportunity to take the lead role in Pretty Woman.

The 1990 movie eventually starred Julia Roberts as a sex worker named Vivian, hired to be a the escort of a businessman (Richard Gere) for several business and social functions only for him to fall in love with her.

“Julia Roberts was wonderful in it, but I didn’t really like the story,” Ringwald said in a recent interview with The Guardian. “Even then, I felt like there was something icky about it.”

Roberts went on to win a Best Actress award at the Golden Globes as well as an Oscar nomination in the same category for her performance.

Winona Ryder and Jennifer Conolly both auditioned for the role of Vivian, however they were deemed too young by director Garry Marshall. Drew Barrymore, Brooke Shields, Uma Thurman, and Kristin Davis also auditioned for the role unsuccessfully.

Meg Ryan, Michelle Pfeiffer and Emily Lloyd were also offered the role, but all turned it down.

Ringwald shot to fame her for roles in 80’s teen movies like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. However, in her interview, the 55-year-old admitted she tried to switch to more serious roles as she grew up.

Ringwald also revealed that she was rejected for roles in movies like The Silence of the Lambs and Working Girl.

“I didn’t really feel like darker roles were available to me,” she said. “The ones that I wanted to do, I didn’t get. I was too young for certain roles. I was at this weird in-between stage.”

Working Girl director Mike Nichols told Ringwald during her audition for that she could not relate to the character climbing a corporate ladder. “‘She really needs to be at that moment where you feel the pain,’” Ringwald remembered being told, adding, “‘You have your whole life ahead of you – nobody’s going to believe that of you.’”

Ringwald has enjoyed success in her recent television career, appearing in shows such as Riverdale, The Bear and Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.