The Australian star will bring Vivian to life in the new national production of the hit musical based on the iconic 1990 film.
Samantha Jade has been confirmed as the lead for the highly anticipated Australian version of Pretty Woman: The Musical, playing Vivian, the character immortalised by Julia Roberts in the classic romantic movie. The premiere will take place at Brisbane’s QPAC this October, before moving to Sydney’s Theatre Royal in November.
Producer Suzanne Jones, from Jones Theatrical Group, expressed her excitement after the artist’s audition: “We knew from the very first moment that not offering her the role would be a huge mistake. Enormous. Her voice fits perfectly with Bryan Adams’ iconic score. I know Australian audiences will fall in love with her.”
For Samantha, this role means much more than just a new challenge: it’s an opportunity to connect with an audience that has watched her grow. Since winning The X Factor Australia in 2012, her music career has shone with hits like ‘What You’ve Done to Me’, ‘Sweet Talk’, ‘Soldier’, ‘Firestarter’ and ‘Bounce’, her latest major hit in 2019. Although she has released new tracks in the past year, they haven’t matched the impact of her earlier successes. Still, her powerful and emotional voice remains one of the most recognisable in Australian pop.
Beyond music, the singer and actress has shown her versatility by contributing to the soundtrack of the film Step Up (2006), starring Channing Tatum, and portraying Kylie Minogue in the TV series INXS: Never Tear Us Apart. She has also appeared in Home & Away, toured with artists like One Direction and Westlife, and was runner-up on Dancing with the Stars 2024.
Pretty Woman: The Musical features music by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, direction and choreography by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell, and the original book by Garry Marshall and J.F. Lawton. After breaking records on Broadway, the West End, and across Europe, this new production promises to thrill with the love story between Vivian and Edward and a vibrant, contemporary soundtrack.
We hope this marks a new takeoff in Samantha Jade’s career, a well-rounded artist worth keeping an eye on. The rest of the cast will be announced in the coming weeks, and all signs point to this being one of Australia’s biggest theatre premieres of the year.
