The luckiest girl in the world … is more than just a Pretty Woman
Samantha Jade thought the lead role in Pretty Woman: The Musical was beyond her … until she auditioned.
Samantha Jade has overcome her trepidation to take on one of the most iconic movie characters of all time in the Australian premiere of Pretty Woman: The Musical, coming to QPAC in October.
The Australian performer will star as Vivian in the role made famous around the globe by Julia Roberts in the 1990 film. She will star opposite Ben Hall as Edward, the role played by Richard Gere in the movie.
“To be honest with you, I was nervous about musicals,” reveals Jade. “I’ve been asked to audition for things before and I was like – I act and I sing and I dance, but separately. Doing them all at the same time just feels just a little too challenging.”
The multi-talented performer has been a regular fixture on Australian television and stage since winning TV’s The X Factor in 2012. Since then she has toured nationally and headlined the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras twice. But it was her experience coming runner-up in the 2023 season of TV’s Dancing With the Stars that gave Jade the confidence to truly believe she could be the triple-threat that the role of Vivian required.
“I did Dancing With the Stars and that really pulled me out of my comfort zone and was something so new and challenging. I actually really loved it,” she says. “Even with that, I went in thinking `oh my gosh, I’m not going to be able to do this’. And then you surprise yourself.
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“This role came along and they asked me to audition, and I honestly thought, `You know what? This might be the role. This might be the right time as well in my life’. So, I was like, maybe it’s time. The stars aligned and it worked out.”
Samantha Jade and Ben Hall star in Pretty Woman: The Musical.
Singer-songwriter Bryan Adams teamed up with Jim Vallance to write the blazing rock score and lyrics for Pretty Woman: The Musical. Adams was at QPAC in February to launch the production of the Australian iteration of the show.
The musical broke box-office records at the Nederlander Theatre for its Broadway debut in 2018 and has also wowed audiences in Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany, and has enjoyed an extended West End season in the UK.
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yes, it is daunting. I mean, who wants to take on Julia Roberts?
Jade hopes to bring a deeper understanding of Vivian to her performance, to ensure the role has her own distinctive take.
“Obviously, yes, it is daunting. I mean, who wants to take on Julia Roberts?” she says. “I’m not doing that, though, because it is the musical version. The nods are to the movie. And there are all the beautiful moments that people are going to want.
“You really get a much deeper love for the characters, because of the music side of things. You hear these beautiful songs and you’re getting to know (Vivian’s friend) Kit a lot more, and you’re getting to know even Edward a lot more and the hotel manager a lot more.
“Bryan Adams definitely knows how to write a hit. He’s no stranger to that, but this is obviously such an iconic movie, and so the music has to be just as iconic, and he’s nailed it.
“These songs are so great. People are going to be walking out of the theatre with these little earworms and not be able to stop singing them.”
Jade has a favourite song which she’s particularly looking forward to performing.
“It’s called Luckiest Girl in the World – I sing with Kit – and that’s the one song I’m most excited about,” she says. “I feel really honoured to be playing this role for the first time in Australia.
“This has been so successful on Broadway and on the West End, and now we get to bring it to theatres in our country. I couldn’t think of a better place to open than Brisbane. Brisbane really loves shows and they really love the arts, so it’s going to be great.”
Pretty Woman: The Musical, Lyric Theatre, QPAC, from October 5.