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Julia Roberts: Meryl Streep's Daughter in 'August'

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 10:40:28 GMT

Julia Roberts smiles on her way out of the salon on Thursday in West Hollywood, Calif. The 44-year-old actress will be playing Meryl Streep‘s daughter in the big screen adaptation of the Tony-winning play August: Osage County.

Rumors first surfaced in 2010 that the two Oscar winners would be playing mother and daughter, but The Weinstein Company recently officially confirmed the casting. “After seeing Meryl Streep’s mesmerizing portrayal as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, it has me even more excited and proud to co-star with her,” Julia said in a statement (via EW).

Julia Roberts and her brother Eric fell out over his split from his girlfriend

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:07:16 GMT

Jean Safer decided at an early age that she would never have a child -- in case it turned out like the brother she loathed. She tells the story in a new book about sibling rivalry. The bond of blood may be thicker than water, but sometimes sibling relationships are better off being diluted and broken, she says.

Research has shown that over one-third of adults admit to battling with their brothers and facing strife with their sisters, but the problem, according to author Jeanne Safer, is that these feuds are rarely discussed outside the family.

"It festers, but outsiders never know," she says. "Everybody thinks that everybody else's relationships are amicable even though evidence says otherwise."

Sibling strife and the lifetime of shame and secrecy that surrounds it is the theme of Safer's new book Cain's Legacy, written from personal experience rather than academic interest.

By the time her 64-year-old brother died in hospital, their relationship had all but withered away. As he lay on his deathbed he even refused to take a call from his sister.

The mutual resentment they felt as children grew until finally ending in estranged silence. But once she began writing her book to help untangle the mixed emotions she felt after her brother had passed away, Safer came to realise that ever since Cain turned on Abel sibling strife has been a frequent phenomenon.

"It's fascinating," she says. "It's so widespread. What struck me when I started working on this was that people have this idea that because they are now grown up and don't live in the same house any more that the sibling has no more influence."

However, our relationship with our brothers and sisters impacts on us throughout our lives regardless of whether it is good, bad or indifferent. "We shouldn't keep siblings in the psychological closet," says Safer. "They affect us every single minute."

She believes the root of her rivalry with her brother Steven stemmed from the fact that she was her parents' favourite growing up. But as she shone, she left her brother to wallow in the shadow of her success.

"My brother saw me as totally entitled and he was right," she says. "I saw myself as charming and wonderful and that I worked hard and deserved everything. Unfavoured children can easily feel like victims their whole lives and that's their problem."

But while Safer's relationship with Steven is an extreme example, she believes that many of us suffer from sibling strain.

With childhood rivalries 'frozen in time', some never feel natural in the company of their brothers and sisters. Indeed, we can even revert to what Safer has coined as 'sibspeak', making conversations stilted and uncomfortable.

"There is a repetitive, even compulsive quality about these exchanges," says Safer. "But the paralysis some feel when talking to a sibling is in fact, she says, evasion. By avoiding discussing anything 'difficult', they think they can prevent their brother or sister realising the awful (but obvious) truth about their relationship."

Sibling rivalry is inbuilt into nature, according to Safer, and her research has highlighted that "intense competition for resources (emotional and physical nurturing) is a fundamental part of human nature".

In fact, she suggests that harmony between offspring is virtually impossible because our parents set us up to fail. They do this because they "pick favourites and offer love selectively".

Through research and interviews, Safer has identified five key fault lines that run through many families. 'Hostile siblings' are ones displaying outright dislike. 'Siblings from another planet' are civil to each other but would be unlikely to be friendly if they were not related. 'The favoured sibling' is the one that gets the majority of the parents' affection. 'The green-eyed sibling' is rarely pleased with the success of her rivals. While, finally, 'the incompetent sibling' has to be constantly bailed out and treats other sibling as surrogate parents.

But no matter what category your relationship with your brother or sister falls into, Safer's book does suggest most rifts can be healed. However, she does acknowledge that sometimes they can be so toxic it is better to remain estranged.

"Sometimes it's damaging to maintain a masochistic relationship with someone who hates or envies you," she says. "I think we need to say this out loud and give people permission to thoughtfully sever ties, not try to maintain or improve them."

However, she does encourage everyone to explore their relationship with their siblings regardless of how close it is. "You owe it to yourself to understand the relationship because it's part of you," she says. "And they are part of you."

ERIC AND JULIA ROBERTS

When big brother Eric, who is also an actor, split with his longtime girlfriend Kelly Cunningham, Julia sided with his ex when the couple commenced battle over the custody of their daughter. While the two now maintain a strained relationship, don't expect them to co-star with each other any time soon.

OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND AND JOAN FONTAINE

These sisters lay claim to the longest running sibling feud in history, dating back to 1942. Olivia (95) and her younger sister, Joan (93), were both famous Oscar-winning actresses in the heyday of Hollywood but jealously and resentment stemming from their early childhood means even today they refuse to be in the same room as each other.

LIAM GALLAGHER AND NOEL GALLAGHER

Once they stopped bashing Blur during the ’90s, it seems the brothers Gallagher were only too happy to turn on themselves. Their notorious feuding eventually saw Oasis split and their resentment still rumbles on. On her accession to the throne, Mary put Elizabeth in the Tower of London and then under house arrest at Woodstock Palace. So, while sisterly spats can get downright nasty, thankfully few match the animosity of these royal siblings.

ADOLF DASSLERAND RUDOLF DASSLER

After working hard together to build sportswear giant Adidas, the pair fell out and Rudolf walked away. However, intent on proving he could be a success in his own right, he established Puma so the brothers were not only sibling rivals but also business rivals.

MARYI AND ELIZABETHI

On her accession to the throne, Mary put Elizabeth in the Tower of London and then under house arrest at Woodstock Palace. So, while sisterly spats can get downright nasty, thankfully few match the animosity of these royal siblings. MADONNA ANDANTHONY CICCONE Madonna's homeless brother Anthony constantly lashes out at the Material Girl for not supporting him. “You'd think there'd be some more family loyalty, and that's not the case,” he recently told the press.

Julia Roberts is beginning to feel ‘old’

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:32:59 GMT

Hollywood’s original sweetheart, actor Julia Roberts says she is beginning to feel old because her films from the eighties are being remade. The 44-year-old says she cannot believe that time has gone by so quickly that remakes of her films are in the pipeline already, reported Showbizspy.

“I heard there is going to be a remake of Flatliners. I was shocked. Already? It seems really quick! Didn’t we just make that movie? That does seem quick. “The passage of time is something that’s so mysterious though. It’s going so fast.”

Julia Roberts amazed at the way time flies!

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:56:36 GMT

Actress Julia Roberts says she cannot believe that time has gone by so quickly - she is amazed to see that the remake of her 1990 movie 'Flatliners' is already in the pipeline. "I heard there is going to be a remake of 'Flatliners'. I was shocked. Already? It seems really quick! Didn't we just make that movie? That does seem quick," showbizspy quoted Roberts as saying.

Directed by Joel Schumacher, the movie featured Roberts along with Kiefer Sutherland and Kevin Bacon. "The passage of time is something that is just so mysterious though. It just goes faster and faster, I just wish it would all slow down so I can take it all in, it is all going so fast," said the 44-year-old, a mother of three children.

Julia Roberts amazed at the way time flies!

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:27:48 GMT

Los Angeles: Actress Julia Roberts says she cannot believe that time has gone by so quickly - she is amazed to see that the remake of her 1990 movie `Flatliners` is already in the pipeline.

"I heard there is going to be a remake of `Flatliners`. I was shocked. Already? It seems really quick! Didn`t we just make that movie? That does seem quick," showbizspy.com quoted Roberts as saying. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the movie featured Roberts along with Kiefer Sutherland and Kevin Bacon.

"The passage of time is something that is just so mysterious though. It just goes faster and faster, I just wish it would all slow down so I can take it all in, it is all going so fast," said the 44-year-old, a mother of three children.

Julia Roberts' Stunning Mirror, Mirror Dres

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:09:09 GMT

Who's the fairest of them all? In an exclusive promo shot from Mirror, Mirror, it appears to be Julia Roberts, who plays the Evil Queen in Tarsem Singh's adaptation of the classic fairytale Snow White. The film, which hits theaters March 30, also stars Lily Collins, 22, as Snow White, and Armie Hammer, 25, as Prince Charming.

According to the Oscar winner and mother-of-three, Mirror, Mirror doesn't stay entirely true to the beloved children's story. "We don't have the classic dwarves," Roberts, 44, explained on Access Hollywood Live in 2011. "Our dwarves have different names and personalities than the fairytale."

Julia Roberts Has to Sneak Out The House!

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:29:59 GMT

JULIA Roberts is preparing for another covert mission to escape her kids for Oscar night. The Pretty Woman actress says her three children hate her leaving home so much that she now has to sneak out. “I have learned to not get ready at home,” explains Julia.

“Either they hang out where I get ready and then they go, ‘Don’t leave!’ It is tough. I hate leaving them. So now I have to not get ready at all when they are around. Even a little extra Chapstick and my kids are suspicious: ‘What is going on? Where are you going?’”

Julia Roberts: My Kids Are Too Young For Mirror Mirror

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:42:27 GMT

MOVIE beauty Julia Roberts thinks her children are too young for fairytales — at least ones with her in them! The Pretty Woman actress has told how she is not allowing her son Henry, four, or even her seven-year-old twins Patricia and Phinnaeus watch her turn as the Evil Queen in Snow White movie Mirror Mirror. “They really are too little for it and I think it would be disturbing for them,” says Julia.

“Even if it wasn’t me (in the film) I wouldn’t let them see it. We police their movies pretty rigidly. They see Curly Top, Shirley Temple. That is the kind of stuff we show. It will be years. They are not old enough to see this movie.”

The Night Julia Roberts Came to Javier Bardem’s Rescue

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:56:08 GMT

The latest issue of Deadline.com’s awards season print magazine Awardsline is out. Distributed for free to AMPAS voting members and film execs, the February 1 edition is once again chock full of studio ads.

There is also some clever editorial sourcing of a panel held last December at a two-day industry event hosted by the PMC/Nikki Finke site. Alongside Relativity Media CEO Ryan Kavanaugh and Open Road CEO Tom Ortenberg, Roadside Attractions co-president Howard Cohen shared stories about awards seasons past:

“Last year we had Biutiful, and were doing a campaign for Javier Bardem for Best Actor. [At the end of] last year, it did not get a Golden Globe nomination, it did not get a SAG nomination, it did not get a BFCA nomination, nothing. We thought we were dead, basically.”

“Then in the middle of January we had a screening at CAA; Julia Roberts was the host and she had a memorable quote that got spread virally on the Internet: “If talent doesn’t matter, we’re all f*cked.” Because of that, I think the entire actor branch basically picked up a DVD of Biutiful and watched it. And a month later, Javier was nominated [for an Oscar].”

Immediately following the panel piece, there is a fun article by Craig Modderno about his experiences covering the 1975 Academy Awards (and commercial break, Best Actor nominees banter) for Rona Barrett‘s Hollywood magazine. Current issues of Awardsline can be accessed here.

Julia Roberts has 'timeless couture look'

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:02:59 GMT

Julia Roberts created a "timeless couture look" at the Oscars in 2001, her hairstylist has revealed. Serge Normant was behind the actress's gorgeous hair creation on the night of her big win over a decade ago.

The style oozed Hollywood glamour and was more than perfect for the moment when all eyes were on the Erin Brockovich star as she collected her trophy. "It was a great moment when Julia won her Oscar in 2001. The hair kind of happened. It wasn't overly planned and we ended up with this gorgeous, timeless couture look," Serge told the UK edition of Glamour.

The celebrity hair expert also named his favourite style of all time. Normant said he was so impressed by French actress Catherine Deneuve's crowning glory in 1967 movie Belle De Jour, he put up the film's poster in his apartment. Very blonde and voluminous, the top section of her locks is swept-back to show off her gorgeous features. "I love Catherine Deneuve's look in Belle De Jour - in fact, the only picture hanging on my wall in my downtown NYC salon is an original poster from the movie," he revealed.