The 'Pretty Woman' actress is not as active as she used to be because she likes to focus her time on her family.
America's sweetheart Julia Roberts is a powerhouse of talent. Very few actors or actresses have earned the star status that she has garnered with the varied roles she has portrayed over the years. However, the other role that keeps her just as fulfilled and happy has got nothing to do with Hollywood.
The Pretty Woman star, who turned 52 on October 28, 2019, has found happiness as a mother to her three children as much as in her work. And, it takes a really good project for her to step out of the house now. "Otherwise I would be at home. I'm happy at home and really fulfilled, so for me to go out and tell a story, it has to be something I feel really passionate about," she told the SydneyMorningHerald.
The actresses married cinematographer Daniel Moder in 2002 and since then has been a lot less prolific with her work. "It was meeting Danny ... finding my person," she said. "When I think about what makes my life my life, and makes sense and just shine inside of me, it's him. Everything has come from that for me," she told Harper's Bazaar UK. The couple welcomed their twins Hazel and Phinnaeus in 2004 and son Henry three years later. This made her stop going after roles and instead wait for something good to come her way instead.
Not only has domesticity affected what projects she works on but also her performances. "The actor in me would want to say, of course, that my performance would be just as interesting if I were not a parent [in Ben is Back], but I'm sure it wouldn't be, because of course it does change and inform who you are and how you relate to the world. I think if it doesn't do that, you should probably send them back," the mother-of-three said. Being a mother had also influenced her performance in the film Wonder.
The Runaway Bride is no runaway mom and loves every bit of it. However, she is honest about her expectations too. "My life at home gives me absolute joy. There are some days when as soon as you’ve finished cooking breakfast and cleaning up the kitchen it’s time to start lunch, and by the time you’ve done that you’re doing dinner and thinking, 'There has to be a menu we can order from.' But then there are some days when it’s just so creative and so much fun and my kids will help me," Roberts said. "And, as with anybody who’s a mum or a wife, it just becomes part of your everyday routine. Some days it’s super fun and some days it’s a chore," she added.
Even though she is one of the most glamorous actresses around the world and it is difficult to imagine her not looking good at all times, she has those moments when she's too busy with the domestic chores to bother about looking her best.
"I don’t have the luxury of sitting around any more. I must have had bags of spare time before I had children but I don’t know what I did with it and I didn’t appreciate it. But it’s such a terrific trade-off. I don’t have time to get a pedicure, but I sure am happy. Who cares if your feet look bad?" the Mirror UK reported her as saying.
This mother found her inspiration to be a hands-on parent from her own mother, who always cooked meals from scratch.
"My mom used to make everything. She had a great garden and composed and made everything from scratch – peanut butter, bread, jelly, everything. I don’t know how she did it because all those things take time and love and labor. She was a great cook and she raised me on really good foods and produce from her garden so that’s how I know how to handle food and prepare fresh things and yummy things," she said.
Now that her children are older and more aware of her star status, the mother struggles with providing for them and ensuring they have their feet on the ground. Perhaps, it's a by-product of her difficult childhood, but the mama bear wants her children to be hardy and prepared. "I don’t want them to have some of the struggles I had. But at the same time, you do need to know how to make your bed and how to do your laundry and how to be able to make a meal, these are important life skills. They have to run their own race, they have to have their own experience," said the Homecoming actress to the SundayPost.
References:
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/culture-news/a13125012/julia-roberts-cover-interview/
https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/julia-roberts-interview-i-dont-241270
