Richard Gere Talks Improvising ‘Pretty Woman’s’ ‘Sexy’ Piano Scene and Why His Character Was ‘Criminally Underwritten’: ‘It Was Basically a Suit and a Good Haircut’

As a seasoned movie critic with decades of film-watching under my belt, I must say that Richard Gere‘s masterclass at the Venice Film Festival was nothing short of enlightening. His anecdotes about the making of “Pretty Woman” and his candid revelations about the improvised piano scene with Julia Roberts were a delightful peek behind the silver screen.

Richard Gere celebrated his birthday surrounded by excited fans during a workshop led by Cartier at the Venice Film Festival, where he also shared some exclusive insights about the making of his iconic film “Pretty Woman,” directed by Garry Marshall.

Responding to a steamy piano moment captured on video with Julia Roberts, Gere chuckled and reddened, acknowledging the undeniable chemistry he shared with the actress.

“He chuckled, saying, ‘No on-screen chemistry,’ meaning the connection between the actor and actress seemed absent… A lack of chemistry like that, I rarely see it these days. The scene, quite frankly, was intensely sensual.”

Later, Gere revealed that the pivotal scene was spontaneously created. “It wasn’t part of the original script,” he explained. “At the time, we weren’t sure how we’d incorporate it later. But surprisingly, it turned out to be crucial for the movie.” Gere humorously added that his character was underdeveloped to a near criminal extent. Essentially, he was just a well-dressed man with a good hairstyle. He stated that the concept for this scene emerged when the director prompted him to visualize what his character might do during his hotel stay.

“He explained that they spontaneously created this scene. He began playing a melancholic tune, reflecting the character’s inner feelings. The scene turned out to be crucial for the storyline as Meryl Streep’s character gained a new perspective on him. There was an enigmatic longing and perhaps a hint of damaged qualities in this man that she hadn’t noticed before.”

At the AmfAR event where he received the Award of Inspiration, the actor shared insights on various aspects of movie-making, including acting, scriptwriting, cinematography, post-production, and music scoring, during his masterclass session.

In the realm of my admiration for the craft, I found a poignant moment when Mister Richard Gere shared insights about one of his most formidable professional hurdles. This was during his role as a Japanese-American character in Akira Kurosawa’s “Rhapsody in August.” Despite being Japanese-American myself, I resonated with the struggle he faced, as he confessed that performing in this movie required him to feel and act in a way that made himself appear more Japanese.

“During the day, I’d be engaged in different activities and occasionally glance up, only to notice Kurosawa shaking his head and observing me. Later, the assistant director shared that Kurosawa had remarked, ‘I can’t figure out what Richard is trying to accomplish because he appears entirely Japanese to me.'”

Richard Gere saw a significant return this year with Paul Schrader’s film “Oh, Canada,” which was screened at Cannes. In this movie, Gere collaborates with Schrader once more since their 1980 project “American Gigolo.” The actor portrays a dying author and filmmaker in the production, who conducts a final interview to disclose the raw truth of his life experiences.

As a movie enthusiast myself, I’m excited to share that I, Richard Gere, will be sharing the screen with Michael Fassbender in “The Agency,” an American adaptation of the French spy thriller “Le Bureau des Legendes. On the side, I’ve also embarked on a unique project alongside my son, who had the privilege of joining me in this masterclass experience.

He stated, “This is about a father and his son bonding and understanding one another. In this scenario, I’m the father figure for that adorable, youthful lad… And now, I am the father!”

2024-09-01 13:16

Richard Gere Talks Improvising ‘Pretty Woman’s’ ‘Sexy’ Piano Scene and Why His Character Was ‘Criminally Underwritten’: ‘It Was Basically a Suit and a Good Haircut’

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