Julia Roberts Biography

Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990), which grossed $464 million worldwide. After receiving Golden Globe Awards and Academy Award nominations for Steel Magnolias (1989) and Pretty Woman, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Erin Brockovich (2000). Her films Mystic Pizza (1988), The Pelican Brief (1993), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), Notting Hill (1999), Runaway Bride (1999), Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Valentine's Day (2010), Eat Pray Love (2010), and Mirror Mirror (2012) have collectively brought box office receipts of over $2.6 billion, making her one of the most successful actresses in terms of box office receipts.

Roberts had become one of the highest-paid actresses in the world, topping The Hollywood Reporters annual "power list" of top-earning female stars from 2005 to 2006. Her fee for 1990's Pretty Woman was $300,000; in 2003, she was paid an unprecedented $25 million for her role in Mona Lisa Smile (2003). As of 2010, Roberts's net worth was estimated to be $140 million.

Roberts has been named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" eleven times, tied with Halle Berry. In 2011, she was named one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time" by Men's Health. In 2001, Ladies Home Journal ranked her as the 11th most powerful woman in the United States.

Early life and family

Roberts was born in Atlanta, Georgia, at Crawford Long Hospital (now Emory University Hospital Midtown), to Betty Lou (née Bredemus) and Walter Grady Roberts. She is of English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, German, and Swedish descent. Her father was a Baptist and her mother a Roman Catholic, and she was raised as the latter. Her older brother, Eric Roberts (from whom she was estranged until 2004), sister, Lisa Roberts Gillan, and niece, Emma Roberts, are also actors.

Roberts' parents, one-time actors and playwrights, met while performing theatrical productions for the armed forces. They later co-founded the Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia, off Juniper Street in Midtown. While her mother was pregnant with Roberts, she and her husband ran an acting school for children in Decatur, Georgia. The children of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King attended the school; Yolanda Denise King worked closely with Walter Roberts as her acting coach. As a thank-you for their service, Mrs. King paid the hospital bill when Roberts' mother gave birth to her.

Roberts' mother filed for divorce in 1971 with the divorce being finalized early in 1972. Roberts lived in Smyrna, in 1972, where she attended Fitzhugh Lee Elementary School, Griffin Middle School, and Campbell High School. Her mother married Michael Motes and had a daughter, Nancy Motes, in 1976. Roberts' father died of cancer when she was ten.

Roberts wanted to be a veterinarian as a child. She played clarinet in the band in school. After graduating from Smyrna's Campbell High School, she headed to New York to pursue a career in acting. Once there, she signed with the Click Modeling Agency and enrolled in acting classes.

Career

1987"1989

Roberts made her first big screen appearance in the film Satisfaction (1988), released on February 12, 1988, alongside Liam Neeson and Justine Bateman, as a band member looking for a summer gig. She had previously performed a small role opposite her brother, Eric, in Blood Red (she has two words of dialogue), filmed in 1987 and released in 1989. Her first television appearance was as a juvenile rape victim in the initial season of the series Crime Story with Dennis Farina, in the episode titled "The Survivor", broadcast on February 13, 1987. Her first critical success with moviegoers was her performance in the independent film Mystic Pizza in 1988; that same year, she had a role in the fourth season finale of Miami Vice. In 1989, she was featured in Steel Magnolias, as a young bride with diabetes, and received both her first Academy Award nomination (as Best Supporting Actress) and first Golden Globe Award win (Motion Picture Best Supporting Actress) for her performance.

1990"2000

Roberts became known to worldwide audiences when she co-starred with Richard Gere in the Cinderella/Pygmalionesque story, Pretty Woman, in 1990. Roberts won the role after Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Ringwald, Meg Ryan, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Karen Allen, and Daryl Hannah (her co-star in Steel Magnolias) all turned it down. The role also earned her a second Oscar nomination, this time as Best Actress, and second Golden Globe Award win, as Motion Picture Best Actress (Musical or Comedy). Her next box office success was the thriller Sleeping with the Enemy, playing a battered wife who escapes her abusive husband, played by Patrick Bergin, and begins a new life in Iowa. She played Tinkerbell in Steven Spielberg's Hook in 1991, and also played a nurse in the 1991 film, Dying Young. This work was followed by a two-year hiatus, during which she made no films other than a cameo appearance in Robert Altman's The Player (1992). In early 1993, she was the subject of a People magazine cover story asking, "What Happened to Julia Roberts?" She was offered the role of Annie Reed in Sleepless in Seattle (1993), but turned it down.

Roberts co-starred with Denzel Washington in The Pelican Brief (1993), based on John Grisham's 1992 novel of the same name. In 1996, she appeared in season 2 of Friends (episode 13 "The One After the Superbowl"). Roberts recorded her scenes from January 6"8, 1996. She had a relationship with cast member Matthew Perry at the time, and an audience member said about their on-screen kiss, "Julia looked at Matt and said 'I'm glad we rehearsed this over the weekend'." She was offered the role of Lucy Eleanor Moderatz in While You Were Sleeping (1995), but also turned it down.

Roberts co-starred with Liam Neeson in Michael Collins (1996). Over the next few years, she starred in Stephen Frears' Mary Reilly (1996), followed by My Best Friend's Wedding in 1997. In 1998, she appeared on Sesame Street opposite the character Elmo, demonstrating her ability to change emotions. She was offered the role of Viola de Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love (1998), but turned it down. She starred in the film Stepmom (1998) alongside Susan Sarandon. She starred with Hugh Grant in Notting Hill (1999). That same year she also starred in Runaway Bride, her second film with Richard Gere. Roberts was a guest star on the Law & Order television series episode "Empire" with series regular Benjamin Bratt (at that time her boyfriend). She earned an nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

2001"2005

In 2001 Roberts received the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich, who helped wage a successful lawsuit against energy giant Pacific Gas & Electric. While presenting the Best Actor Award to Denzel Washington the following year she made a gaffe, saying she was glad that Tom Conti wasn't there. She meant the conductor, Bill Conti, who had tried to hasten the conclusion of her Oscar speech the previous year, but instead named the Scottish actor.

Roberts' first film following Erin Brockovich was the romantic comedy America's Sweethearts along with Billy Crystal, John Cusack, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Directed by Joe Roth, the Hollywood farce centers on a supercouple, Gwen and Eddie, who separate when she dumps him for another man. Roberts portrayed Gwen's once-overweight sister and assistant who has been secretly in love with Eddie (Cusack) for years. Reviews for the film were generally unfavorable; critics' felt that despite its famous cast, the movie lacked "sympathetic characters" and was "only funny in spurts." A commercial success, it grossed over $138 million worldwide however. Later in 2001 she starred in Gore Verbinski's road gangster comedy, The Mexican, giving her a chance to work with long-time friend, Brad Pitt. The film's script was originally intended to be filmed as an independent production without major motion picture stars, but Roberts and Pitt, who had for some time been looking for a project they could do together, learned about it and decided to sign on. Though advertised as a typical romantic comedy star vehicle, the film does not focus solely on the Pitt/Roberts relationship and the two shared relatively little screen time together. Ultimately, The Mexican earned $66.8 million at the U.S. box office.

In fall 2001, Roberts teamed with Erin Brockovich director Steven Soderbergh for Ocean's Eleven (2001), a comedy-crime caper film and remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film of the same name, featuring an ensemble cast also including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon. Roberts played the ex-wife of leader Danny Ocean (Clooney), originally played by Angie Dickinson, who is flirting with a casino owner, played by Andy Garcia. In preparation for her role, Roberts studied Dickinson's performance by watching the original film at least seven times in order to get her part right. A success with critics and at the box office alike, Ocean's Eleven became the fifth highest-grossing film of he year with a total of $450 million worldwide.

In 2003, Roberts was cast in Mike Newell's drama film Mona Lisa Smile, also starring Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Julia Stiles. Roberts received a record $25 million for her portrayal of a forward-thinking art history professor at Wellesley College in 1953, who teaches conservative students to question their traditional societal roles "? the highest ever earned by an actress then. The film garnered largely lukewarm reviews by critics who found it "predictable and safe".

In 2004, Roberts replaced Cate Blanchett in Mike Nichols's Closer, a romantic drama film written by Patrick Marber, based on his award-winning 1997 play of the same name. Also starring Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen, Closer explores the relationships of a quartet of lovers tangled in a web of love, lust, sex and betrayal. Also in 2004, the actress reprised the role of Tess Ocean in Soderbergh's crime comedy sequel Ocean's Twelve. Less favored than Eleven, the film became another major success at the box offices with a gross of $363 million worldwide, mostly from its international run. Unlike all the male cast members, Roberts did not appear in her role as Tess Ocean in the series' third and final installment Ocean's Thirteen (2007) due to script issues. In 2005, she was featured in the music video for the hit single "Dreamgirl" by the Dave Matthews Band; it was her first music video appearance.

2006"present

Roberts had two films released in 2006, The Ant Bully and Charlotte's Web. Both films were animated features for which she provided voice acting. Her next film was Charlie Wilson's War (2007), with Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman, directed by Mike Nichols and based on the book by former CBS journalist George Crile; it was released on December 21, 2007. Fireflies in the Garden (2008), also starring Ryan Reynolds and Willem Dafoe, was released at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2008 and was subsequently shown in European cinemas; it did not get a North American release until 2011.

Roberts made her Broadway debut on April 19, 2006 as Nan in a revival of Richard Greenberg's 1997 play Three Days of Rain opposite Bradley Cooper and Paul Rudd. Although the play grossed nearly US$1 million in ticket sales during its first week and was a commercial success throughout its limited run, her performance drew criticism. Ben Brantley of The New York Times described Roberts as being fraught with "self-consciousness (especially in the first act) [and] only glancingly acquainted with the two characters she plays." Brantley also criticized the production of "Greenberg's slender, elegant play," writing that "it's almost impossible to discern its artistic virtues from this wooden and splintered interpretation, directed by Joe Mantello." Writing in The New York Post, Clive Barnes declared, "Hated the play. To be sadly honest, even hated her. At least I liked the rain"?even if three days of it can seem an eternity." Three Days of Rain received two Tony Award nominations in stagecraft categories. In 2009, Lancôme announced that Roberts would become their global ambassador for their company. Roberts starred with Clive Owen in the comedy-thriller Duplicity for which she received her seventh Golden Globe nomination. In 2010, she appeared in the ensemble romantic comedy Valentine's Day, with Cooper, and starred in the film adaptation of Eat Pray Love. Eat Pray Love had the highest debut at the box office for Roberts in a top-billed role since America's Sweethearts. Later in the year, she signed a five-year extension with Lancôme for "?million ( million). In 2011, she co-starred as Mercedes Tainot opposite Tom Hanks who directed and played the title role in the romantic comedy Larry Crowne. The movie has received generally bad reviews with only 35% of the 175 Rotten Tomatoes reviews giving it high ratings, although Roberts's comedic performance was praised. Roberts appeared in the 2012 Tarsem Singh adaptation of Snow White, called Mirror Mirror, playing the Evil Queen.

American Girl films

Roberts has brought to life some of the books from American Girl as films, serving as executive producer alongside her sister Lisa. The company's product lines and services are focused on pre-teen-girl characters from various periods of American history, embodied as dolls and featured in narratives including books and movies. Roberts has produced four movies.

Personal life

Relationships and marriages

Roberts has reportedly had romantic relationships with actors Jason Patric, Liam Neeson, Dylan McDermott, and Matthew Perry. She was briefly engaged to actor Kiefer Sutherland; they broke up three days before their scheduled wedding on 11 June 1991. On June 25, 1993, she married country singer Lyle Lovett; the wedding took place at St. James Lutheran Church in Marion, Indiana. They separated in March 1995 and subsequently divorced. From 1998 to 2001, Roberts dated actor Benjamin Bratt.

Roberts and her present husband, cameraman Daniel Moder, met on the set of her film The Mexican in 2000, while she was still dating Bratt. At the time, Moder was married to Vera Steimberg. He filed for divorce a little over a year later, and after it was finalized, he and Roberts wed on July 4, 2002, at her ranch in Taos, New Mexico. Together, they have three children: twins Hazel Patricia Moder and Phinnaeus "Finn" Walter Moder (b. 2004) and Henry Daniel Moder (b. 2007).

Beliefs

Roberts disclosed in a 2010 interview for Elle magazine that she believes in and practices Hinduism. Roberts is a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaj-ji). A picture of Neem Karoli Baba drew Roberts to Hinduism.

Charities

Roberts has given her time and resources to UNICEF as well as to other charitable organizations. On May 10, 1995, Roberts arrived in Port-au-Prince, as she said, "to educate myself". The poverty she found was overwhelming. "My heart is just bursting", she said. UNICEF officials hoped that her six-day visit would trigger an outburst of giving: $10 million in aid was sought at the time.

In 2000, Roberts narrated Silent Angels, a documentary about Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder, which was shot in Los Angeles, Baltimore and New York. The documentary was designed to help raise public awareness about the disease. In July 2006, Earth Biofuels announced Roberts as a spokeswoman for the company and as chair of the company's newly formed Advisory Board promoting the use of renewable fuels. She also supports Gucci's "Chime For Change" campaign that aims to spread female empowerment.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1987	Firehouse	Babs	Uncredited
1988	Mystic Pizza	Daisy Arujo
1988	Satisfaction	Daryle	Also known as Girls of Summer
1989	Blood Red	Maria Collogero
1989	Steel Magnolias	Shelby Eatenton Latcherie	Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress
1990	Pretty Woman	Vivian Ward	Golden Globe for Best Actress
1990	Flatliners	Rachel Mannus
1991	Hook	Tinkerbell
1991	Dying Young	Hilary O'Neil
1991	Sleeping with the Enemy	Sara Waters/Laura Burney
1992	'		Cameo
1993	The Pelican Brief	Darby Shaw
1994	Prêt-à-Porter	Anne Eisenhower	Also known as Ready to Wear
1994	I Love Trouble	Sabrina Peterson
1995	Something to Talk About	Grace King Bichon
1996	Everyone Says I Love You	Von Sidell
1996	Michael Collins	Kitty Kiernan
1996	Mary Reilly	Mary Reilly
1997	Conspiracy Theory	Alice Sutton
1997	My Best Friend's Wedding	Julianne Potter
1998	Stepmom	Isabel Kelly
1999	Runaway Bride	Maggie Carpenter
1999	Notting Hill	Anna Scott
2000	Erin Brockovich	Erin Brockovich	Academy Award for Best Actress
2001	Ocean's Eleven	Tess Ocean
2001	America's Sweethearts	Kathleen "Kiki" Harrison
2001	'	Samantha Barzel
2002	Confessions of a Dangerous Mind	Patricia Watson
2002	Grand Champion	Jolene
2002	Full Frontal	Catherine/Francesca
2003	Mona Lisa Smile	Katherine Ann Watson
2004	Ocean's Twelve	Tess Ocean
2004	Closer	Anna Cameron
2006	Charlotte's Web	Charlotte the Spider (voice)
2006	Beslan: Three Days In September	Narrator
2006	'	Hova (voice)
2007	Charlie Wilson's War	Joanne Herring
2008	Fireflies in the Garden	Lisa Waechter
2009	Duplicity	Claire Stenwick
2010	Valentine's Day	Kate
2010	Eat Pray Love	Elizabeth Gilbert
2011	Love, Wedding, Marriage	Ava's Therapist (voice)
2011	Larry Crowne	Mercedes Tainot
2012	Mirror, Mirror	Queen Clementianna
2013	August: Osage County	Barbara Fordham
2014	The Normal Heart	Dr. Emma Brookner	Filming

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1987	Crime Story	Tracy	1 episode: "The Survivor"
1988	Miami Vice	Polly Wheeler	1 episode: "Mirror Image"
1988	Baja Oklahoma	Candy Hutchins	TV movie
1996	Friends	Susie Moss	1 episode: "The One After the Superbowl: Part 2"
1999	Law & Order	Katrina Ludlow	1 episode: "Empire"
2003	Freedom: A History of Us	Virginia Eyewitness	2 episodes
2010	Hope For Haiti Now	Herself	Telethon for Haiti earthquake relief
2011	Extraordinary Moms	Narrator	TV documentary

Awards and nominations

See List of awards and nominations received by Julia Roberts for more information