Julia Roberts Initially Thought Notting Hill Was A “Dumb” Movie Idea

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Julia Roberts recently shared why she initially thought the popular movie Notting Hill was a bad idea. In the 1999 romantic comedy, she plays a famous actress, Anna Scott, who falls in love with Will Thacker, a bookstore owner played by Hugh Grant, even though they come from very different worlds.

Despite becoming a huge success – earning $363 million and receiving an 84% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, solidifying its place as a classic romantic comedy – Julia Roberts initially wasn’t enthusiastic about the film.

I recently read an interview with her in Deadline, and she was hilariously honest about first hearing about Notting Hill. Apparently, when her agent pitched it, her initial reaction was pretty blunt! She actually told him it sounded like the absolute dumbest movie idea she’d ever heard, and even used a rather strong word to describe how silly it seemed!

I clearly remember when my agent first told me about Notting Hill. My immediate thought was that it was a terrible idea for a movie. The concept of playing a huge movie star and then what? It just sounded incredibly silly.

The famous actress initially hesitated, but after reading the Notting Hill script, she was won over by how delightful and humorous it was. She then met with the director, Roger Michell, producer Duncan Kenworthy, and writer Richard Curtis over lunch to talk about making the movie.

She originally intended to turn down the part, but the filmmakers were incredibly kind, funny, and appealing, which ultimately convinced her to star in Notting Hill. She feels the movie was perfectly cast and became much more successful than she ever imagined.

When I read the script, I immediately loved it – it was charming and hilarious. Then, meeting with Richard Curtis, Duncan Kenworthy, and the wonderful Roger Michell, who I sadly miss, sealed the deal. They were all so lovely and funny, and I realized this project was really going to happen. We all had a fantastic time making the movie, and the casting, overseen by Mary Selway, was perfect – every actor fit their role beautifully. Roger truly brought a vision to life that consistently worked, achieving exactly what it set out to do. And the casting of Alec Baldwin? Inspired!

Julia Roberts shared that bringing joy to others through laughter is incredibly fulfilling, particularly making her husband, Daniel Moder, smile. She hopes the comedic moments in her films, like Notting Hill, have the same effect on audiences.

There’s definitely a formula to comedy, but it seems to vary depending on the style. Garry Marshall used to say a joke has three parts, almost like a rhythm. Everyone sees it differently, though. Personally, I think it comes down to what you’re trying to achieve. But for me, the best part of life is making people laugh. Especially my husband—if I can make him laugh, because he always makes me laugh—it just makes me incredibly happy.

Before 1999, Julia Roberts was already a well-known movie star thanks to popular films like Mystic Pizza, Steel Magnolias, Pretty Woman, and My Best Friend’s Wedding.

I remember when Notting Hill came out – it was a huge surprise! Julia Roberts was hesitant about taking the lead role at first, but the movie ended up being a massive success, both with audiences and critics. She really got some recognition for it too, racking up nominations for awards like the Golden Globes, even the Kids’ Choice Awards, and a bunch of others like the People’s Choice and Satellite Awards. It was a really fun time for rom-coms, and she totally shone in it.

The movie was nominated for Golden Globe’s top prize, and Hugh Grant was nominated for Best Actor.

After Notting Hill really cemented her as a huge star, Julia Roberts kept delivering hit after hit – I mean, Runaway Bride, Ocean’s Eleven, August: Osage County… she was everywhere! But it was Erin Brockovich that finally got her the Oscar she deserved, and honestly, it was a performance for the ages.

Roberts received a Golden Globe nomination for her role in the 2025 film, After the Hunt. The awards ceremony will be broadcast live on January 11th, where she’ll be competing against Jessie Buckley, Jennifer Lawrence, Renate Reinsve, Tessa Thompson, and Eva Victor for Best Actress in a Dramatic Motion Picture.

Julia Roberts initially hesitated about the idea for Notting Hill when her agent first mentioned it. However, she ultimately decided to take the role, and it’s become one of her most memorable performances – a crucial part of her impressive career.

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2026-01-07 00:59