CINEMA
Julia Roberts’ surprising ‘Notting Hill’ revelation
Playing the Hollywood character Anna, Roberts was nominated for a Best Actress Golden Globe, but it almost never happened.
‘Notting Hill’ is one of Julia Roberts’ most famous films, for which her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy category. However, the actress was close to not accepting the role. But that iconic line “I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her” might never have been spoken by Roberts in the film, as the Oscar winner had reservations about playing the role of... a renowned Hollywood actress.
In the 1999 movie, Roberts portrays Anna Scott, a very famous film actress who falls in love with an ‘ordinary’ man from London, played by a clumsy, yet adorable, Hugh Grant.
Almost no Julia Roberts in ‘Notting Hill’
In a recent interview with British Vogue, conducted by screenwriter and Roberts’ friend Richard Curtis, Julia shared her initial hesitation to take on the role of Anna. The topic came up after Roberts mentioned that she still envies people she works with who are “very technical” in their craft as actors.
“One of the hardest things I’ve had to do was your movie [’Notting Hill’], playing a movie actress,” she told Curtis. “I felt so uncomfortable! I mean, we’ve talked about this so many times, but I nearly didn’t take the role because it felt... oh, it felt so uncomfortable. I didn’t even know how to portray that person,” she added.
Roberts and Curtis also discussed the famous romantic scene in which she says the aforementioned “I’m just a girl” line.
“It was a great scene. But who knew that would become the line,” said the actress.
Hugh Grant’s ‘Notting Hill’ doubts
Curtis also recalled when leading actor Grant sent the script of ‘Notting Hill’ to the screenwriter William Goldman and asked, “What do you think? Should I do it?” And Curtis shared Goldman’s response: “Yes, but you won’t get a top Hollywood actress to do that horrible scene where she yells in the hallway.”
The man behind the movie then explained how Roberts did take on that role.
“You weren’t afraid to do that scene where you were simply unpleasant. You were very happy not to be nice. And not being nice in a quite realistic way. I’m not saying you play villains. You’re just good at playing people who are a bit difficult,” he added wryly.