Julia Roberts is an American actress born on October 28, 1967. She’s known for starring in lots of different kinds of movies and has won big awards like an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. All the movies she’s been in have made over $3.9 billion worldwide, making her one of the most successful stars in Hollywood.
She became popular after appearing in movies like “Mystic Pizza” in 1988 and “Steel Magnolias” in 1989. But it was “Pretty Woman” in 1990 that made her a top actress.
During the 1990s, she was in many hit movies, especially romantic comedies like “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Notting Hill,” and “Runaway Bride”. She won an Academy Award for her role in “Erin Brockovich.” After that, she kept making successful movies like “Ocean’s Eleven” in 2001 and its sequel, “Ocean’s Twelve” in 2004, “Charlie Wilson’s War” in 2007, and “Eat Pray Love” in 2010.
Apart from acting, she also has her own production company called Red Om Films. She’s been working with them to make movies she stars in and has even been an executive producer for some projects. Since 2009, she’s been a global ambassador for Lancôme, a famous cosmetics brand.
Julia Roberts was one of the highest-paid actresses in the 1990s and 2000s, earning $20 million for “Erin Brockovich” and $25 million for “Mona Lisa Smile”. People magazine has even called her the most beautiful woman in the world five times!
| Full Name | Julia Fiona Roberts |
| Date of Birth | October 28, 1967 |
| Place of Birth | Smyrna, Georgia, USA |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Spouse | Daniel Moder (m. 2002) Lyle Lovett (m. 1993–1995) |
| Children | Hazel Moder, Phinnaeus Moder, Henry Daniel Moder |
| Net Worth | $250 million |
Julia Roberts’s Early Life and Education
Julia Fiona Roberts was born on October 28, 1967, in Smyrna, Georgia, near Atlanta. Her parents, Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts had backgrounds mixing English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, German, and Swedish ancestry. Her dad was Baptist, her mom was Catholic, and Julia grew up in the Catholic faith. She has an older brother Eric Roberts, and an older sister, Lisa Roberts Gillan, both actors, along with a niece, Emma Roberts. She also had a younger half-sister named Nancy Motes.
Her parents were once actors and playwrights who met during performances for the United States Armed Forces. They even started the Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop together. Julia’s parents ran a children’s acting school while she was on the way. Interestingly, the kids of Coretta and Martin Luther King Jr. were among the students, and Julia’s dad coached their daughter, Yolanda. In a kind gesture, Coretta King helped cover Julia’s hospital bill because of the family’s financial struggles when she was born.
Julia’s parents split in 1971 and by 1972 Julia was living in Smyrna with her mom. Her mom remarried Michael Motes but their relationship was tough. Julia didn’t get along with him and they eventually divorced in 1983 after having a daughter named Nancy, who sadly passed away in 2014.
Growing up, Julia Roberts had dreams of becoming a vet and played the clarinet in her school band. After finishing high school at Campbell High, she went to Georgia State University but didn’t finish. Instead, she moved to New York City to pursue acting. There, she signed with the Click Modeling Agency and started taking acting classes.
Career
Julia Roberts’ journey to stardom began with a TV role in “Crime Story” as a young rape survivor. She soon made her film debut in the dramedy “Satisfaction” alongside Liam Neeson and Justine Bateman where she played a band member searching for a summer gig. Although she had a small role in “Blood Red” with her brother Eric it wasn’t released until later.
In 1988, Julia Roberts appeared in the season finale of “Miami Vice” and gained critical acclaim with her role in “Mystic Pizza” where she played a teenage waitress. Roger Ebert praised her beauty and energy noting the film’s potential to spotlight future stars.
Her breakthrough came with “Steel Magnolias” where she portrayed a young bride with diabetes alongside Sally Field and Dolly Parton. Despite a tough director, Roberts’ performance earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win for Best Supporting Actress.
Roberts’ career skyrocketed with “Pretty Woman” playing a lively escort who falls for a wealthy businessman Richard Gere. The role which many top actresses turned down earned her a second Oscar nomination and another Golden Globe. “Pretty Woman” became a massive hit grossing $463.4 million worldwide and her red dress from the film became iconic.
She followed with “Flatliners” a supernatural thriller and in 1991 starred in “Sleeping with the Enemy,” “Hook,” and “Dying Young.” Despite mixed reviews, these films were commercially successful grossing $175 million, $300.9 million, and $82.3 million respectively.
After a brief break, Julia Roberts returned with a cameo in “The Player” and starred in “The Pelican Brief” with Denzel Washington a box office hit at $195.2 million. However her subsequent films “I Love Trouble,” “Prêt-à-Porter,” and “Something to Talk About” were not well received. She also appeared in “Friends” and “Michael Collins” but faced a flop with “Mary Reilly.”
Roberts found success again in romantic comedies. “My Best Friend’s Wedding” with Dermot Mulroney and Cameron Diaz grossed $299.3 million and received positive reviews. In “Conspiracy Theory” with Mel Gibson despite mixed reviews, it earned $137 million. She starred in “Stepmom” with Susan Sarandon which grossed $159.7 million.
In “Notting Hill” Roberts played a famous actress who falls for a bookstore owner Hugh Grant. It became the highest-grossing British film earning $363 million. She reunited with Richard Gere in “Runaway Bride” which grossed $309.4 million despite mixed reviews. Roberts also guest-starred in “Law & Order” earning an Emmy nomination.
Julia Roberts made history by becoming the first actress to earn $20 million for a single film. This was for her role as the real-life hero Erin Brockovich, who fought against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company in the movie “Erin Brockovich”. The film was a massive success, earning over $256 million globally and winning Julia Roberts an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Following this triumph, Roberts starred in a variety of films. She teamed up with Brad Pitt in “The Mexican” a comedy about gangsters on the road. Despite being marketed as a romantic comedy, the focus wasn’t solely on their characters’ relationship. The movie did well, making $66.8 million in North America.
In “America’s Sweethearts,” Julia Roberts played the assistant to a Hollywood actress, alongside Billy Crystal and John Cusack. Despite mixed reviews, it was a commercial hit, grossing over $138 million worldwide.
She then joined an ensemble cast for “Ocean’s Eleven” a remake of the classic heist film. This was another box office success, bringing in $450 million globally.
Julia Roberts continued to break records with her earnings receiving $25 million for her role in “Mona Lisa Smile”. Despite mixed reviews, the film earned over $141 million worldwide.
In “Closer” directed by Mike Nichols, Roberts replaced Cate Blanchett as an American photographer. This romantic drama received acclaim and was based on an award-winning play.
She reprised her role as Tess Ocean in “Ocean’s Twelve” a sequel that, while less well-received than its predecessor, still made $363 million worldwide.
Throughout the early 2000s, Julia Roberts remained one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses, regularly appearing on lists of top earners. She diversified her roles, from voice acting in animated films like “Charlotte’s Web” to appearing on Broadway in “Three Days of Rain”.
In “Charlie Wilson’s War” she starred alongside Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman, receiving critical acclaim for her role as socialite Joanne Herring.
Her career continued with diverse projects, including “August: Osage County” where she starred alongside Meryl Streep and Ewan McGregor. Her performance earned her numerous award nominations, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Julia Roberts also appeared on television, starring in the adaptation of Larry Kramer’s play “The Normal Heart” which earned her an Emmy nomination.
She maintained her presence in Hollywood with roles in films like “Secret in Their Eyes” and “Mother’s Day”.
In recent years, Roberts starred in “Wonder” playing the mother of a boy with a facial deformity, and appeared in the psychological thriller series “Homecoming” marking her first regular television role.
She continues to be a prominent figure in both film and television, with upcoming projects including “Ticket to Paradise” and “Gaslit.”
Net Worth
Julia Roberts has an estimated net worth of $400 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Julia Roberts’s net worth mainly comes from her successful acting career. She became a Hollywood star in the 1990s with movies like “Pretty Woman,” which made her one of the highest-paid actresses.
She earned millions per film, and her roles in blockbusters like “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Runaway Bride,” and “Erin Brockovich” solidified her financial success.
Beyond acting, she has lucrative endorsement deals with brands like Lancôme. Additionally, she has investments in real estate, including properties in Malibu and Hawaii, further contributing to her wealth.
Personal life
Julia Roberts has had quite a colorful love life. She’s been linked romantically with several Hollywood actors like Jason Patric, Liam Neeson, Kiefer Sutherland, Dylan McDermott, and Matthew Perry. Back in 1991, she was supposed to marry Kiefer Sutherland, but they called it off just before the wedding. Julia says it wasn’t a last-minute decision like the media claimed, but rather something they both agreed on.
Then, in 1993, she tied the knot with country singer Lyle Lovett, but sadly they split up in 1995. After that, she dated Benjamin Bratt from 1998 to 2001.
Things took a turn when she met Daniel Moder, a cameraman on the set of one of her movies in 2000. At the time, he was married to someone else, which caused a bit of a scandal. But they got together after he divorced, and they got married in 2002. They have three kids together: twins born in 2004 and another son born in 2007.
Back in 2010, Julia Roberts mentioned she was Hindu, saying she found spiritual fulfillment in it. She’s really into Neem Karoli Baba, a guru, whose image got her interested in Hinduism.
While filming “Eat Pray Love” in 2009, a Swami named Daram Dev at Ashram Hari Mandir in Pataudi gave Julia’s kids new names inspired by Hindu gods. Hazel became Lakshmi, Phinnaeus became Ganesh, and Henry became Krishna Balram.
In a 2023 episode of “Finding Your Roots,” Julia Roberts found out that her great-great-grandfather’s last name was Mitchell, not Roberts.
She also discovered that her ancestors were slave owners. She said, “If you’re from the South, you’re either connected to the side that owned slaves or the side that was enslaved. It’s sad, but it’s part of our history. We can’t ignore it, even if it doesn’t match our values.” Interestingly, Roberts is distantly related to actor Edward Norton.
Other ventures
Julia Roberts has actively contributed to various charitable organizations and causes over the years. In 1995, she visited Port-au-Prince Haiti on a six-day trip with UNICEF to learn more about the conditions there which was intended to encourage donations with $10 million in aid being sought at that time. In 2006, Roberts became a spokeswoman for Earth Biofuels and chaired the company’s advisory board promoting renewable fuels. In 2013, she participated in Gucci’s “Chime for Change” campaign to promote female empowerment.
Roberts has also been involved in raising awareness for health and environmental issues. In 2000, she narrated a documentary about Rett syndrome to increase public awareness of the neurodevelopmental disorder. In 2014, she voiced Mother Nature in a short film for Conservation International’s “Nature Is Speaking” campaign aimed at raising awareness about climate change.
Julia Roberts runs Red Om Films a production company named after her husband’s last name spelled backward. She co-manages it with her sister Lisa Roberts Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill. Through Red Om Roberts has served as an executive producer for various projects including the film “Eat Pray Love” the series “Homecoming” and the first four films in the American Girl film series released between 2004 and 2008.
Julia Roberts’ endorsement deals reflect her status as a global icon. In 2006, she signed a $6 million deal with fashion label Gianfranco Ferré with a campaign shot by Mario Testino. Since 2009, Roberts has been the global ambassador for Lancôme involved in developing and promoting the brand’s cosmetics and beauty products. In 2010, she extended her contract with Lancôme for $50 million over five years. Since 2021, she has been the face of Chopard’s Happy Sport and Happy Diamonds collections. In 2023, Chopard announced Roberts as its Global Brand Ambassador.
In 2024, Roberts collaborated with Chopard on a high jewelry collection named ‘Chopard x Julia Roberts’ featuring the significant Insofu Emerald. This collection highlighted both Roberts’ and Chopard’s dedication to sustainability in luxury jewelry. The collaboration launched in Los Angeles showcased Roberts’ influence on design and her commitment to sustainability creativity and high fashion.
