Julia Roberts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julia Roberts
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Roberts in 2022
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Julia Fiona Roberts
October 28, 1967 Smyrna, Georgia, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1987–present |
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Works
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Filmography |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3 |
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| Awards | Full list |
Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. She is famous for her main roles in many different types of movies. She has won many awards, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. Her movies have earned billions of dollars around the world. This makes her one of Hollywood's most successful stars.
Julia first became well-known with movies like Mystic Pizza (1988) and Steel Magnolias (1989). She became a top actress after starring in the romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990). This movie was a huge hit.
Throughout the 1990s, she starred in many popular films. These included romantic comedies like My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), Notting Hill (1999), and Runaway Bride (1999). She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the true-story drama Erin Brockovich (2000). Julia continued to have success with movies like Ocean's Eleven (2001), Wonder (2017), and Ticket to Paradise (2022). She has also acted in TV shows, earning an Emmy nomination for The Normal Heart (2014).
Besides acting, Julia Roberts also runs a production company called Red Om Films. Through this company, she has helped make many projects, including some of her own movies. She also helped produce the first four American Girl movies. Since 2009, she has been a global ambassador for the beauty brand Lancôme. She was one of the highest-paid actresses for many years. People magazine has called her the most beautiful woman in the world five times.
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Julia Roberts' Early Life and Family
Julia Roberts was born on October 28, 1967, in Smyrna, Georgia. This is a town near Atlanta. Her parents were Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts. Her family has roots from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Germany, and Sweden. She was raised Catholic.
Her older brother, Eric Roberts, and older sister, Lisa Roberts Gillan, are also actors. Her niece, Emma Roberts, is also an actress.
Julia's parents were actors and playwrights. They met while performing for the armed forces. They later started an acting school for children in Atlanta. The children of Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King Jr. attended their school. Walter Roberts taught their daughter, Yolanda King, how to act. Because the Roberts family had money problems, Mrs. King paid Julia's hospital bill when she was born. This was a thank-you for her father running the only racially mixed theater group in the area.
Her parents divorced in 1972. Julia lived in Smyrna, Georgia, and went to local schools there. Her father passed away from cancer when she was ten years old.
When she was a child, Julia wanted to be a veterinarian. She played the clarinet in her school band. After high school, she went to Georgia State University but did not finish. She then moved to New York City to become an actress. There, she joined a modeling agency and took acting classes.
Julia Roberts' Acting Career
Starting Out in the 1980s
Julia Roberts first appeared on TV in the series Crime Story in 1987. Her first movie role was in Satisfaction (1988). She played a band member looking for a summer job. She also had a small role in Blood Red (1989) with her brother Eric.
Her first big success with movie fans came with the romantic comedy Mystic Pizza (1988). In this movie, she played a Portuguese-American teenager who worked at a pizza place. Critics noticed her strong energy and beauty.
In Steel Magnolias (1989), Julia played a young bride with diabetes. She starred alongside famous actresses like Sally Field and Dolly Parton. The casting director insisted the filmmakers see Julia. The writer of the play, Robert Harling, said her smile lit up the room. Even though the director was tough on her, the movie was a hit. Julia earned her first Academy Award nomination for this role. She also won her first Golden Globe Award.
Becoming a Star in the 1990s
After her Oscar nomination, Julia Roberts became even more famous. She starred with Richard Gere in Pretty Woman (1990). She played a kind-hearted freelance worker. Many other actresses turned down the role, but Julia took it. This role earned her a second Oscar nomination and another Golden Globe Award. She was paid $300,000 for the part. Pretty Woman became the most successful romantic comedy ever in the U.S. It earned $463.4 million worldwide. The famous red dress she wore in the film is still remembered today.
Her next movie was Flatliners (1990), a thriller about students experimenting with near-death experiences. In 1991, she played a wife trying to escape her abusive husband in Sleeping with the Enemy. She also played a tiny, winged Tinker Bell in Steven Spielberg's fantasy film Hook. And she was a nurse in the romance drama Dying Young. Even though some reviews were not great, these movies earned a lot of money. Sleeping with the Enemy made $175 million, Hook made $300.9 million, and Dying Young made $82.3 million globally.
Julia took a break from acting for two years. She only had a small role in The Player (1992). In 1993, she starred with Denzel Washington in the thriller The Pelican Brief. She played a law student who uncovers a big secret. This movie was a success, earning $195.2 million worldwide. Some of her next films, like I Love Trouble (1994) and Something to Talk About (1995), were not as popular.
In 1996, she appeared in an episode of Friends. She also starred with Liam Neeson in the historical drama Michael Collins.
By the late 1990s, Julia found success again in romantic comedies. In My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), she played a food critic who realizes she loves her best friend. She tries to win him back before he marries someone else. This movie is considered one of the best romantic comedies. Critics praised Julia's charming performance. It was a global hit, earning $299.3 million.
In Conspiracy Theory (1997), she starred with Mel Gibson. She played a Justice Department attorney. The film earned $137 million. In 1998, Julia appeared on Sesame Street. She also starred in the drama Stepmom with Susan Sarandon. This movie was about a stepmother and a terminally-ill mother. It made $159.7 million worldwide.
Julia teamed up with Hugh Grant for Notting Hill (1999). She played a famous actress who falls in love with a bookstore owner. This movie became the biggest British hit in cinema history, earning $363 million worldwide. Critics loved it, calling Julia the "queen of the romantic comedy." In 1999, she also reunited with Richard Gere and director Garry Marshall for Runaway Bride. She played a woman who keeps leaving fiancés at the altar. This movie was another financial success, making $309.4 million globally. Julia also guest-starred in an episode of Law & Order.
The 2000s and Beyond
Julia Roberts made history in 2000 by becoming the first actress to be paid $20 million for a movie. This was for her role as real-life environmental activist Erin Brockovich in Erin Brockovich. Critics praised her performance. The movie made $256.3 million worldwide. Julia won the Academy Award for Best Actress for this role.
Her next film was the comedy The Mexican (2001), where she worked with her friend Brad Pitt. Then, in the romantic comedy America's Sweethearts (2001), she starred with Billy Crystal and Catherine Zeta-Jones. This movie earned over $138 million worldwide. Later in 2001, Julia worked with Erin Brockovich director Steven Soderbergh on Ocean's Eleven. This movie had a big cast, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon. Julia played Tess Ocean, the ex-wife of the leader. It was a huge success, earning $450 million worldwide.
Julia received a record $25 million for her role in Mona Lisa Smile (2003). She played a modern art history professor at Wellesley College in 1953. The movie made over $141 million. In 2004, she starred in the romantic drama Closer. She then played Tess Ocean again in Ocean's Twelve. This movie was also a big success, earning $363 million worldwide. In 2005, she appeared in the music video for the song "Dreamgirl" by the Dave Matthews Band.
In 2006, Julia lent her voice to animated movies. She was a nurse ant in The Ant Bully and a barn spider in Charlotte's Web. She also made her debut on Broadway in the play Three Days of Rain. In 2007, she starred with Tom Hanks in the drama Charlie Wilson's War. She played a socialite named Joanne Herring. The film was well-received and earned $119.5 million. Julia received her sixth Golden Globe nomination for this role.
In 2009, Julia starred with Clive Owen in the thriller Duplicity. Critics praised her performance, noting she had moved past her "America's sweetheart" image. She received her seventh Golden Globe nomination for this role.
The 2010s and Recent Work
In 2010, Julia was part of a large cast in the romantic comedy Valentine's Day. She also starred in Eat Pray Love, playing an author who finds herself after a divorce. Eat Pray Love had a very successful opening at the box office. She then appeared with Tom Hanks in the romantic comedy Larry Crowne.
In Mirror Mirror (2012), Julia played Queen Clementianna, Snow White's evil stepmother. The movie made $183 million globally. In 2013, Julia starred with Meryl Streep in the drama August: Osage County. This movie was about a family reunion. Her performance earned her many nominations, including her fourth Academy Award nomination.
In 2014, Julia starred in the TV movie The Normal Heart for HBO. She played a doctor based on a real person. The film was highly praised, and Julia earned an Emmy nomination for her role.
In 2015, Julia starred in Secret in Their Eyes with Nicole Kidman. In 2016, she reunited with director Garry Marshall for the romantic comedy Mother's Day. She also starred in Jodie Foster's thriller Money Monster with George Clooney. This film made $93.3 million worldwide.
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In Wonder (2017), Julia played the mother of a boy with Treacher Collins syndrome. Critics said she made every scene better. Wonder earned $305.9 million worldwide, becoming one of her most-watched films. In 2017, she also voiced a motherly Smurf leader in Smurfs: The Lost Village.
In 2018, Julia played the mother of a troubled young man in the drama Ben Is Back. She also took on her first regular TV role in the psychological thriller series Homecoming. The series was praised by critics, and Julia received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance.
In 2022, Julia reunited with George Clooney for the romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise. She also played Martha Mitchell in the TV series Gaslit, which was about the Watergate scandal.
In 2023, Julia starred as Amanda Sandford in the film Leave the World Behind. She appeared with Ethan Hawke and Mahershala Ali. This movie was produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's company. In 2024, Julia and Riley Keough will narrate the audiobook for Lisa Marie Presley's memoir.
Other Ventures and Interests
Helping Others (Philanthropy)
Julia Roberts has supported UNICEF and other charity groups. In 1995, she visited Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to learn more about the country's needs. This visit helped raise awareness and donations for UNICEF. In 2006, she became a spokesperson for Earth Biofuels, promoting renewable fuels. In 2013, she joined a Gucci campaign called "Chime for Change" to support women's empowerment.
In 2000, Julia narrated a documentary about Rett syndrome, a brain disorder, to help people learn about it. In 2014, she was the voice of Mother Nature in a short film for Conservation International. This film aimed to raise awareness about climate change.
Her Production Company
Julia Roberts runs a production company called Red Om Films. She runs it with her sister, Lisa Roberts Gillan, and Marisa Yeres Gill. "Red Om" is "Moder" spelled backward, after her husband's last name. Through Red Om, Julia has been an executive producer for many projects she starred in, like Eat Pray Love and Homecoming. She also produced the first four American Girl movies.
Endorsement Deals
In 2006, Julia signed a deal with the fashion brand Gianfranco Ferre. Since 2009, she has been a global ambassador for Lancôme, a beauty brand. She helps develop and promote their makeup and beauty products. In 2021, she became the global face for Chopard's jewelry collections.
Julia has also supported political candidates. She endorsed President Joe Biden for re-election in 2024.
Julia Roberts' Personal Life
Family History
In 2023, Julia learned on a TV show called Finding Your Roots that her family's original last name was Mitchell, not Roberts. She also learned that some of her ancestors owned slaves. She said that you cannot ignore history, even if it makes you feel uncomfortable.
Julia is also a distant cousin of fellow actor Edward Norton.
Relationships and Family
Julia Roberts had relationships with several actors. She was briefly engaged to Kiefer Sutherland in 1991, but they decided to break up. On June 25, 1993, she married country singer Lyle Lovett. They divorced in 1995. From 1998 to 2001, Julia dated actor Benjamin Bratt.
Julia met her husband, cameraman Daniel Moder, on the set of her film The Mexican in 2000. They got married on July 4, 2002, at her ranch in Taos, New Mexico. They have three children together: twins (a daughter and a son) born in 2004, and another son born in 2007.
Religious Beliefs
In 2010, Julia Roberts shared that she is Hindu. She said she converted for "spiritual satisfaction." Julia is a follower of the guru Neem Karoli Baba. A picture of him first drew her to Hinduism. In 2009, a Hindu spiritual leader gave her children new names based on Hindu gods.
Personal Habits
Julia Roberts often likes to go barefoot. She has done this at public events like film festivals and even at her wedding to Lyle Lovett. Her habit of going barefoot was even included in some of her movie roles, like Tinker Bell in Hook.
Julia Roberts' Movies and Awards
Here are some of Julia Roberts' highest-earning films:
- Pretty Woman (1990)
- Hook (1991)
- Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
- The Pelican Brief (1993)
- My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
- Notting Hill (1999)
- Runaway Bride (1999)
- Erin Brockovich (2000)
- Ocean's Eleven (2001)
- Ocean's Twelve (2004)
- Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
- Valentine's Day (2010)
- Eat Pray Love (2010)
- Mirror Mirror (2012)
- Money Monster (2016)
- Wonder (2017)
Julia Roberts has been nominated for four Academy Awards. She won Best Actress for her role in Erin Brockovich. For that movie, she also won a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She won Golden Globe Awards for her performances in Steel Magnolias and Pretty Woman. She has received eight Golden Globe nominations in total. Julia has also been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles in Law & Order and The Normal Heart.
See also
In Spanish: Julia Roberts para niños
