Julia Roberts

Julia Fiona Roberts

Born: October 28, 1967 [ Smyrna, Georgia, U.S. ]

Occupation: Actress

Years active: From 1987

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Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. One of Hollywood's most bankable stars, she is known for her leading roles in films of several genres, from romantic comedies and dramas to thrillers and action films. Many of her films have earned over $100 million worldwide, and six have ranked among the highest-grossing films of their respective years. Her top-billing films have collectively brought in over $3.8 billion globally. She has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards.

Roberts was the world's highest-paid actress throughout the majority of the 1990s, as well as the first half of the 2000s. Her fee for Pretty Woman (1990) was $300,000, while she was paid an unprecedented $25 million for her role in Mona Lisa Smile (2003). As of 2020, Roberts' net worth was estimated to be $250 million. People magazine has named her the most beautiful woman in the world a record five times.

Career

Following an early breakthrough with appearances in Mystic Pizza (1988) and Steel Magnolias (1989), Roberts established herself as a leading actress when she headlined the romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990), which grossed $464 million worldwide.

She went on to star in numerous successful films, including Sleeping with the Enemy (1991), Hook (1991), The Pelican Brief (1993), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), Notting Hill (1999), Runaway Bride (1999), Erin Brockovich (2000), Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Valentine's Day (2010), Eat Pray Love (2010), August: Osage County (2013), and Wonder (2017).

For her performance in Erin Brockovich, Roberts won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her performance in the HBO television film The Normal Heart (2014) and had her first regular television role in the first season of the Amazon Prime Video psychological thriller series Homecoming (2018).

Philanthropy

Roberts has contributed to UNICEF as well as other charitable organizations. Her six-day visit to Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 1995, as she said, "to educate myself", was expected to trigger an outburst of donations —$10 million in aid was sought at the time— by UNICEF officials. In 2006, she became a spokeswoman for Earth Biofuels as well as chair of the company's newly formed advisory board promoting the use of renewable fuels. In 2013, she was part of a Gucci campaign, "Chime for Change", that aims to spread female empowerment.

In 2000, Roberts narrated a documentary about Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder, designed to help raise public awareness about the disease, and in 2014, she was the voice of Mother Nature in a short film for Conservation International intended to raise awareness about climate change.

Production Company

Roberts runs the production company Red Om Films (Red Om is "Moder" spelled backwards, after her husband's last name) with her sister, Lisa Roberts Gillan, and Marisa Yeres Gill. Through Red Om, Roberts has served as an executive producer for various projects she has starred in such as Eat Pray Love and Homecoming, as well as for the first four films of the American Girl film series (based on the American Girl line of dolls), released between 2004 and 2008.

Endorsements

In 2006, Roberts signed an endorsement deal with fashion label Gianfranco Ferre, valued at $6 million. She was photographed by Mario Testino in Los Angeles for the brand's advertising campaign, which was distributed in Europe, Asia and Australia. Since 2009, Roberts has acted as Lancôme's global ambassador, a role in which she has been involved in the development and promotion of the brand's range of cosmetics and beauty products. She initially signed a five-year extension with the company for $50 million in 2010.