Biography - Julia Roberts

The biggest female box-office draw of the 1990s and today, Julia Roberts rocketed to superstardom with 1990’s "Pretty Woman", playing a high-class prostitute opposite Richard Gere. The somewhat implausible role, which took the ‘hooker with a heart of gold’ trope and treated it with mythical sincerity, was the perfect vehicle to highlight Julia’s flawless smile and her delightfully winsome screen presence. The famously good-natured actress never thought she’d be a star – she’s ended up one of the biggest on earth.

Born and raised in Smyrna, Georgia, Roberts wanted to be a veterinarian as a child. Both of her parents were occasional actors, and Julia’s mother, Betty Lou Bredemus, taught drama to the children of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Julia’s older brother Eric Roberts achieved some success in Hollywood in the 80s, leading Julia to pursue acting once she graduated from Campbell High School in Smyrna.

Roberts found success quickly, turning heads with a charming supporting role in the 1988 comedy "Mystic Pizza", and in 1989 she earned her first Academy Award nomination for her supporting role in the hit melodrama "Steel Magnolias". Playing a boisterous young bride with diabetes, Roberts stood her ground alongside Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, and Olympia Dukakis. But when "Pretty Woman" arrived in 1990, Roberts achieved a level of fame that few actresses can claim. The film took in a staggering $460 million worldwide, putting it among the biggest hits of all time. Roberts also scored her second Oscar nomination, this time for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Her next film was the popular thriller "Sleeping with the Enemy", which she followed up with "Dying Young" and Steven Spielberg’s Hook. In fact, Roberts became so popular that a brief two-year career hiatus prompted a People Magazine cover titled “What Ever Happened to Julia Roberts?” During this time Roberts took a break from acting after famously breaking off her engagement to "Flatliners" co-star Kiefer Sutherland only days before their wedding.

She returned triumphantly, however, with 1993’s "The Pelican Brief", a hit John Grisham thriller in which she co-starred with Denzel Washington. The next few years proved to be a commercial dry spell for the actress, with roles in films such as "I Love Trouble", "Mary Reilly", "Something to Talk About", and Robert Altman’s bizarrely unsatisfying "Ready to Wear". During this time Roberts was romantically linked with Jason Patric, and in 1993 she eloped with country singer Lyle Lovett. The pair divorced in 1995. Roberts soon returned to the romantic comedy genre, headlining 1997’s "My Best Friend’s Wedding", which made a killing at the box-office. Her following films were all extremely successful, cementing her status as the world’s most powerful leading lady.

After the successes of "Conspiracy Theory", "Notting Hill", "Runaway Bride", and "Stepmom", Roberts was paid an unheard-of $20 million for her role in Steven Soderbergh’s quirky biopic "Erin Brockovich", which earned multiple Oscar nominations and finally won Roberts a Best Actress Oscar. After starring in "America’s Sweethearts", "Ocean’s Eleven", and "The Mexican", Roberts received another giant pay raise, earning $25 million for 2003’s "Mona Lisa Smile".

Recently Roberts has laid low, having given birth to her and husband Danny Moder’s twins. She is currently making her Broadway debut in "Three Days of Rain", and is providing the voice of the title character in this year’s big-budget film adaptation of "Charlotte’s Web".