Many film fans might have fallen in love with Julia Roberts while growing up and watching her in 90s rom-coms, but actor has now revealed why she hasn't taken on so much of the genre in recent years.
Roberts has wowed in a number of roles throughout her career, earning an Oscar and Bafta for Best Actress for her 2001 appearance in the drama Erin Brockovich and various nominations for the 90s rom-coms Pretty Woman, Notting Hill and My Best Friend's Wedding.
It's clear she has no trouble in impressing fans in rom-coms, but aside from roles in ensemble films such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day and smaller projects such as Larry Crowne, it's been years since Roberts appeared in a leading role for the genre.
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In an interview with The New York Times, Roberts made clear this isn't because she hasn't wanted to take on such a project - in fact she noted people sometimes 'misconstrue' this to be the reason for her absence.
Instead, the reason for her not appearing in a rom-com is simple: she simply didn't come across one that she felt was good enough.
She explained: "What I’ve learned is that you always want to do what you’re not doing. Whenever I’m in a comedy, I think I just want to be at a table with a cup of tea sobbing over something. Then you’re doing that, and you think, Oh to be wearing a pretty dress and laughing. People sometimes misconstrue the amount of time that’s gone by that I haven’t done a romantic comedy as my not wanting to do one. If I had read something that I thought was that Notting Hill level of writing or My Best Friend’s Wedding level of madcap fun, I would do it."
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Roberts said it wasn't until one of her most recent projects, written and directed by Ol Parker, that she wanted to venture back into the genre. Tickets to Paradise is scheduled for release later this year, though Roberts admitted 'even with that, I thought, Well, disaster, because this only works if it’s George Clooney.'
Thankfully, Clooney felt the film would only work with Roberts, and so the two actors came together for the film.
When asked to clarify whether she 'didn’t do a romantic comedy for 20 years because there wasn’t a single good script', Roberts responded: "Yeah. It can’t be 20 years, can it?"
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"Here’s the thing," she continued. "If I’d thought something was good enough, I would have done it. But I also had three kids in the last 18 years. That raises the bar even more because then it’s not only Is this material good? It’s also the math equation of my husband’s work schedule and the kids’ school schedule and summer vacation."
Roberts described feeling a 'sense of responsibility' for showing her children she can be creative, though admitted the feeling of leaving her family is tough. When it comes to deciding which films she will take on, though, she explained she simply reads the script and chooses whether she wants it or not.
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Topics: Film and TV, Celebrity, Entertainment, US News
Emily Brown