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The Cast Showoff: Not only is Richard Gere clearly playing the piano for real in one scene, but he also composed the music himself.
Deleted Scene: The 15th anniversary DVD re-inserts them back in the film while replacing existing sequences, with no option for the theatrical cut. This can be especially jarring for long-time viewers of the movie, especially since the jewel case gives no indication that the film has altered.
Hector Elizondo, a shining example of this trope, is the hotel manager.
Non-stunt Double: Shelley Michelle for Julia Roberts in both the opening sequence where Vivian is putting on her boots, and in all promotional materials. That image of the poster on the main page? Everything below Julia Roberts' chin is actually Shelley Michelle.
Throw It In: The scene where he shuts the jewelry box on her hand was originally just an on-set practical joke (Roberts looks towards the crew when she laughs). But they thought her reaction was better than just having her gently touch the necklace as intended.
What Could Have Been: The film's original script was a lot darker and more depressing than what was eventually used. The script did not turn into a modern-day fairy tale until it was bought by Disney and given an extensive rewrite.
It began life not as a romantic comedy, but as a cautionary drama about drug addiction and prostitution called $3,000.
In the original script Vivian was a cocaine addict, and she spends her entire week with Edward going through withdrawals because he won't let her buy drugs while she's with him. Some of this did make it into the final script; remember Vivian's nervousness and tendency to fidget? Those are telltale signs of cocaine use. And the bathroom scene where Edward thinks she's doing cocaine but she's just using dental floss? In the original script she really was doing coke.
And speaking of drugs, Vivian's friend Kit was a full-blown junkie who was probably going to die from her drug problems.
The film didn't end with Edward giving Vivian a rose and driving off into the sunset with her, it ended with Edward giving her an envelope full of the money he promised her and driving out of Vivian's life forever (while she screams and cries and tells him she hates him - because she fell in love with him and he's abandoning her back to a life of prostitution).
Ironically, none of the three writers who reworked J.F. Lawton's original script received screen credit.
The late Christopher Reeve of Superman fame was considered for Richard Gere's role.