Julia Roberts is and has always been a shining star of Hollywood. That million-watt smile, her effortless charisma and style, her iconic “Pretty Woman” role…she rose to fame in the late 1980s, and fans fell in love with her right away. She grew up in a small town in Georgia, and her only exposure to acting was a workshop her parents briefly ran when she was a kid. She fulfilled her dreams when she moved to NYC after high school. Here are some fascinating facts you almost certainly didn’t know about Julia Roberts.
She skyrocketed to fame in 1989
Roberts decided to move to NYC after realizing she had three options. She told the New York Times, “I could get married, I could go to college, or I could move to New York. Nobody was asking to get married, and I didn’t want to go away to school, so I moved.” Upon arrival, she signed with a modeling agency and got her first role in the 1986 movie “Blood Red.” Her first lead role was in 1988 in “Mystic Pizza,” but her career really took off with ‘Steel Magnolias” the following year, playing bride-to-be Shelby Eatenton. The movie earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Her career (and romantic life) was put in the spotlight
After starring in multiple famous films in the 80s, she kept gaining traction in the 90s with movies like “Pretty Woman,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” and “Stepmom.” However, her whirlwind relationship and marriage to actor and singer Lyle Lovett overshadowed her burgeoning career. Less than two years later, they divorced. After their breakup, Roberts focused on climbing the ranks in Hollywood, finishing the 90s with “Notting Hill” and “Runaway Bride.” In 2005, she launched her production company, Shoelace Productions, and the same year, stole the hearts of viewers in “Erin Brockovich,” which earned her a 2001 Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Actress.
