Valeria Golino

When casting for the leading role in Pretty Woman (1990), it came down to Valeria and Julia Roberts (the latter was eventually cast). Before the audition, Roberts whispered to her: 'Go and get them, big mama!'. The same thing happened shortly thereafter when Golino narrowly missed out on the leading role in Flatliners - Heute ist ein schöner Tag zum Sterben (1990): once again, she was first runner-up to Roberts.

Acting came to me instead of me going to acting. I always loved movies -- I was a cinephile, but I never thought about being an actor until Lina Wertmüller put me in my first movie.