It’s rare for two actors to get on as well behind the scenes as their characters do in real life. And Julia Roberts, one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood, hasn’t always been the best of friends with her co-stars.
It’s been said that there was tension on the set of 1999’s Notting Hill between Roberts and Hugh Grant after he made public comments about her appearance. Plus, Roberts reportedly refused to work with Nick Nolte again after the two feuded on the set of 1994’s I Love Trouble.
However, the relationship between Roberts and her Pretty Woman co-star Richard Gere appears to be considerably warmer. The two have had nothing but positive things to say about one another in the media and shared chemistry on the set of Pretty Woman (and their later film Runaway Bride) that was impossible to ignore.
Read on to find out where Richard Gere and Julia Roberts stand today, and whether they could work together again in the future.
Julia Roberts And Richard Gere In ‘Pretty Woman’
In 1990, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere starred in the classic film Pretty Woman. Telling the story of a prostitute who falls in love with a businessman after the two meet on Hollywood Boulevard, the iconic love story catapulted Roberts to global fame.
With a rating of over seven stars on IMDb, Pretty Woman is thought of by many to be one of the greatest love stories of the ‘90s, complete with quotable lines and lovable characters. It also happens to be one of Julia Roberts’ most profitable movies.
One of the elements that made Pretty Woman so successful was the undeniable chemistry between Roberts and Gere. The two, who portrayed main characters Vivian Ward and Edward Lewis flowed together perfectly as their characters fell in love against the odds.
Julia Roberts Convinced Richard Gere To Do ‘Pretty Woman’
We can’t imagine Pretty Woman without Richard Gere. According to Smooth Radio, one of the most surprising behind-the-scenes secrets from the show is that Gere may not have even been part of the film if it weren’t for Roberts, who reportedly convinced him to sign on.
“To be honest, I didn’t know if I was doing this movie yet,” Gere recalled during a 2015 cast reunion on Today. “She’s across the desk, we’re getting to know each other, we’re flirty-flirty, nice-nice.”
Gere went on to explain how director Garry Marshall asked him on the phone if he would do the film while he was in the room with Julia Roberts. She held up a sign that said, “Please say yes.” And so he did.
‘Pretty Woman’ Was So Successful Because Of The Chemistry Between Julia Roberts And Richard Gere
When asked about the success of the film, Marshall confirmed that the chemistry between Roberts and Gere definitely shaped Pretty Woman into the iconic movie it became.
"The chemistry between Roberts and Gere was perfect. The actors brought such a lovability and charm that I didn’t think the audience would want a dark ending, and it didn’t hurt that I am from the school of happy endings.”
Julia Roberts And Richard Gere Reunited On ‘Runaway Bride’
Nearly a decade later in 1999, Roberts and Gere joined forces again for the rom-com Runaway Bride. This time, Roberts played a woman who has become infamous for leaving her grooms at the altar, and Gere a journalist who arrives in her small town to report on the story.
Naturally, their two characters fall in love in this film too, with the chemistry between the actors undeniable for a second time.
Julia Roberts And Richard Gere Are Lifelong Friends
Julia Roberts and Richard Gere don’t just have great chemistry on screen. Behind the scenes, they are great friends. The List reports that, despite the fact that the two haven’t appeared in a movie together since Runaway Bride in 1999, they have maintained their friendship.
When Gere’s son arrived in 2019, Roberts sent Gere’s family many gifts to celebrate the new addition. It was reported by Closer Weekly that the former co-stars met up with each other and their spouses a few weeks before the baby was born to have a celebratory catch-up.
“Julia met Alejandra [Gere’s wife] with Danny [Roberts’ husband] on one of their trips to NYC. Everyone got along swimmingly,” a source told the publication (via The List).
Could They Be Open To Working Together Again?
Of course, thanks to the strong friendship between Roberts and Gere, fans naturally assume that the two actors would be open to working together again.
A source told Closer that it would be difficult to recreate the magic and success that they’ve experienced previously, but if the opportunity were right, they would do it.
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