Julia Roberts thought Notting Hill was f–king…
Before it turned a rom-com basic, “Notting Hill” nearly misplaced its largest star, Julia Roberts.
Roberts, 58, said she initially dismissed the movie as “so f–king stupid,” questioning the premise before discovering the appeal that in the end satisfied her to signal on.
“Gosh, I just remember when my agent called me about ‘Notting Hill,’ and I thought, ‘Well, that sounds like the dumbest idea of any movie I could ever do. I’m going to play the world’s biggest movie star, and I do what? And then what happens? This sounds so f–king stupid,’” she recalled in an interview with Deadline.
“And then I read the script, and I was like, ‘Oh. This is so charming. It’s so funny. Oh, s–t.’”
Still, Roberts wasn’t fully satisfied she was going to say yes to the function.
She agreed to meet with Richard Curtis, who wrote the “Notting Hill” script, producer Duncan Kenworthy and director Roger Michell, with plans to flip it down.
Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant on the set of the 1998 movie, “Notting Hill.” Getty Images
“And then I went to lunch with Richard [Curtis] and [producer] Duncan [Kenworthy] and beloved Roger Michell — may he rest in peace.”
Her intention was clear going in: “No, this isn’t going to work. I’m passing on this movie.” But the assembly didn’t go according to plan, Roberts said.
“And they were just so charming and sweet and funny. And I thought, ‘Wow, this is really going to happen.’”
Roberts is seen arriving at the thirty fifth Gotham Film Awards on Dec. 1, 2025, in New York City. GC Images
She added, “And we had a beautiful time doing it. It was cast to perfection [by Mary Selway], all the friends, everybody. It was so great. And we had a beautiful time. And I think Roger, he just created the film in a way that it just, at every turn, it succeeded. It accomplished its goals with every…”
Roberts then stopped herself during the interview and laughed, out of the blue remembering one element that she loved about “Notting Hill.”
“Alec Baldwin!” she exclaimed. “That’s brilliant casting.”
Roberts, 58, said she initially dismissed “NottingHill” as “so f–king stupid,” questioning the premise before discovering the appeal that in the end satisfied her to signal on. Getty Images
Roberts attends the forty seventh Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 20, 1990, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Ron Galella Collection via Getty
In May 2024, the enduring romantic comedy celebrated the twenty fifth anniversary of its release.
The movie tells the story of a well-known actress, Anna Scott, performed by Roberts, who begins a romantic relationship with divorcee William Thacker, performed by Hugh Grant, after they meet when she visits his bookstore.
Roberts was already a two-time Academy Award nominee for her roles in “Steel Magnolias” and “Pretty Woman,” and had starred in classics like “Mystic Pizza” and “My Best Friend’s Wedding” before taking on the function in “Notting Hill.”
She went on to star in a number of other hits, including “Runaway Bride” and “Erin Brockovich,” which earned her an Academy Award and a BAFTA win.
We present you with the trending topics. Get the best latest Entertainment news and content on our web site daily.
