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01
Coretta Scott King paid the hospital bills for Julia’s birth as a thank-you for giving music lessons to her children.
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02
Julia Roberts refused to star in The Proposal 2009 unless Disney offered her a higher salary; Disney then hired Sandra Bullock for less money, and the film became one of the highest-grossing romantic comedies ever.
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03
A 9,000-year-old female skeleton excavated in Bulgaria in November 2004 was nicknamed Julia Roberts by archaeologists because of its perfect teeth, implying a perfect smile like the actress.
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04
By 2000, her films had grossed more than $2 billion at the US box office, making her the biggest female movie star of all time, a title she held until Cameron Diaz overtook her about a decade later.
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05
She only agreed to film her Bali scenes from Eat Pray Love 2010 on location if the producers allowed her family to stay with her during the shoot.
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06
After George Clooney and Brad Pitt learned she was joining Ocean’s Eleven 2001, they sent her a card with a $20 bill and a note: We heard that you get 20 per film, joking about her reported $20 million per film salary.
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07
For Erin Brockovich 2000, she had to learn to use her right hand because the real Erin Brockovich-Ellis is right-handed, while Roberts is left-handed.
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08
By 2004, her fortune was estimated at $212 million, and Forbes named her #8 among the 20 Richest Women in Entertainment.
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09
She personally handpicked Nicole Kidman to co-star in Secret in Their Eyes 2015, sending her an email with the script asking, Will you do this with me?.
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10
She was the first actress to reach a $20 million salary, for Erin Brockovich 2000; the first actor to reach that mark was Jim Carrey four years earlier for The Cable Guy 1996.
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11
An accomplished equestrienne, she did her own riding in Runaway Bride 1999.
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12
She insured her smile for thirty million dollars.
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13
She was engaged to Kiefer Sutherland but broke up with him days before their planned wedding in 1991.
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14
Some costumes from Mirror Mirror 2012 were so elaborate that her kids could hide under her skirts, while others caused her to pull a muscle; they were the final work of Eiko Ishioka, who posthumously received an Oscar nomination.
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15
She is the aunt of actress Emma Roberts.
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16
She married boyfriend, cameraman Daniel Moder, at their ranch home in Taos, New Mexico in a midnight ceremony; Bruce Willis was the only celebrity in attendance. Julia wore a simple pink cotton halter dress by friend Judith Beylerian on July 4, 2002.
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17
Her parents were close friends with Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Walter and Betty Lou Roberts ran the Actors and Writers Workshop, the only integrated drama school in Atlanta, which the Kings’ eldest daughter Yolanda King attended. The Kings paid the hospital bill for Julia’s birth.
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18
She lent her name to help raise money for research to develop a cure for Rett Syndrome, a potentially fatal disease that randomly strikes girls between ages 2 and 6.
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19
She is an alumnus of the Lee Strasberg Institute, along with actors Angelina Jolie, Frank Miranda, Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson, Rosario Dawson, and Dennis Hopper.
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20
She has been good friends with Denzel Washington since they co-starred in The Pelican Brief 1993.
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21
She lies on her back to have her make-up applied before film sets, insisting it gives her a relaxed look.
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22
She was forced to deliver her twins Finn and Hazel via emergency Caesarean section eight days ahead of their due date following a difficult pregnancy.
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23
Bryan Cranston improved his shape and bleached his teeth when cast as her husband in Larry Crowne 2011, stating he wanted their pairing to seem more believable.
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24
She is good friends with Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman, David Letterman, and Dave Matthews.
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25
She was four months pregnant with her son Henry while filming Charlie Wilson’s War 2007.
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26
She dated Benjamin Bratt from 1997 to 2001.
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27
She is a huge fan of actress Katharine Hepburn.
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28
She is a huge fan of actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, whom she once called the most beautiful woman in the world, more beautiful than any Hollywood actress.
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29
She observed art history classes at New York University to prepare for her role in Mona Lisa Smile 2003.
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30
Initially, real Erin Brockovich was unhappy with Roberts being cast to portray her in Erin Brockovich 2000, because she felt Roberts did not match her own physical appearance and was too well-spoken; she suggested Goldie Hawn and Roseanne Barr for the part.
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31
She turned down the leading role in Sleepless in Seattle 1993, which went to Meg Ryan.
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32
Whenever Julia is unavailable to re-record her dialogue on film, actress Amy Landecker regularly substitutes by providing her voice for ADR. Many of Roberts’ movie trailers also feature Landecker’s voice.
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33
She was engaged to her Steel Magnolias 1989 co-star Dylan McDermott.
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34
She splits her downtime between her ranch in Taos, New Mexico and a home in New York City.
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35
Thirteen films of her career have been nominated for at least one Academy Award.
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36
She gave birth to her third child, son Henry Daniel Moder, at age 39 on June 18, 2007; the father is her second husband, Daniel Moder.
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37
She gave birth to twins her first and second children at age 37: son Finn Moder aka Phinnaeus Walter Moder and daughter Hazel Moder aka Hazel Patricia Moder on November 28, 2004; the father is her second husband, Daniel Moder.
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38
She is a long-time fan of the Dave Matthews Band and appeared in their music video Dreamgirl in 2005, her first performance after giving birth to her twins.
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39
She was born to Walter Grady Roberts 1933-1977, a vacuum cleaner salesman, and his wife Betty Lou Bredemus 1934-2015, a one-time church secretary and real estate agent; her parents were also stage actors and acting coaches.
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40
She never acted in a sequel until Ocean’s Twelve 2004.
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41
In 2006, she earned $5 million for endorsing Gianfranco Ferre, posing for eight print ads, which was equivalent to one day of work.
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42
She turned down the female lead in Shakespeare in Love 1998.
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43
She has made only one movie, Blood Red 1989, with brother Eric Roberts.
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44
She won an Oscar for playing Erin Brockovich in Erin Brockovich 2000, making her one of 17 actors to win for playing a real person still alive at the time of the ceremony as of 2015.
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45
She has supported UNICEF enthusiastically.
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46
She has worked with both Hector Elizondo and Richard Gere in two different movies: first in Pretty Woman 1990 and again in Runaway Bride 1999.
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47
She has movie within a movie scenes in The Player 1992, Notting Hill 1999, America’s Sweethearts 2001, and Full Frontal 2002.
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48
She dated Matthew Perry.
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49
She played clarinet in the band and attended Griffin Middle School and Campbell High School.
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50
She had a maternal half-sister, Nancy Motes 1976-2014.