Roberts gained fame with her performances
Academy Award winner and three-time Golden Globe Award winner Julia Roberts has left a profound impact on the film industry, grossing nearly $4 billion worldwide through her work. Roberts gained fame with her performances in Mystic Pizza (1988) and Pretty Woman (1990). In this slideshow, we explore Roberts’ early years and her lasting impact on Hollywood.
Roberts was born in Smyrna, Georgia
Roberts was born in 1967 in Smyrna, Georgia to Betty Lou and Walter Grady Roberts. She was raised Catholic and comes from a family of actors, including her brother Eric Roberts and niece Emma Roberts.
Roberts moved to New York City
Roberts’ parents, who were both involved in theater, co-founded a children’s acting school in Atlanta. Roberts eventually moved to New York City to pursue acting after graduating high school.
Roberts made her television debut
Julia Roberts made her television debut in 1987 as a juvenile rape victim in the series Crime Story and her film debut in Satisfaction (1988).
She gained critical acclaim
She gained critical acclaim for her role in the independent romantic comedy Mystic Pizza (1988), where she played a waitress.
Roberts starred in Steel Magnolias
Roberts starred in Steel Magnolias (1989), earning her first Academy Award nomination and her first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Breakthrough role came in Pretty Woman
Her breakthrough role came in Pretty Woman (1990), where she played a hooker with a heart of gold, earning her a second Oscar nomination and a second Golden Globe win.
Roberts appeared in Flatliners
Following Pretty Woman, Roberts appeared in Flatliners (1990) and Sleeping with the Enemy (1991), both of which were commercially successful despite mixed reviews.
She starred in The Pelican Brief
After a two-year hiatus, she starred in The Pelican Brief (1993), which was a box office success. In 1996, Roberts guest-starred on Friends. Roberts reunited with Richard Gere for Runaway Bride (1999), which also performed well at the box office, grossing $309.4 million despite mixed reviews.
She starred as Erin Brockovich
Roberts became the first actress to be paid $20 million for a film when she starred as Erin Brockovich in the 2000 film. Her performance earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Roberts played Tess Ocean
In Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Roberts played Tess Ocean, contributing to the film’s success with a gross of $450 million and receiving critical acclaim. Roberts received a record $25 million for her role in Mona Lisa Smile (2003).
She reprised her role
She reprised her role in Ocean’s Twelve (2004) and, in 2007, Roberts starred in Charlie Wilson’s War.
Roberts made her Broadway debut
Roberts made her Broadway debut in Three Days of Rain (2006). In the 2020s, Roberts starred in Ticket to Paradise (2022) and Leave the World Behind (2023).
Roberts runs her production company
Roberts also runs her production company, Red Om Films, and has been a global ambassador for Lancôme since 2009. She was one of the highest-paid actresses in the 1990s and early 2000s, with a net worth estimated at $250 million as of 2020.