Julia Roberts thought “Notting Hill” sounded ‘so f—ing silly’: ‘The dumbest thought of any film I may ever do’

• Julia Roberts stated that she initially thought Notting Hill seemed like "the dumbest thought of any film I may ever do."
• The Fairly Girl actress had reservations about enjoying "the world's largest film star" within the 1999 rom-com: "This sounds so f—ing silly."
• Nevertheless, Roberts modified her thoughts upon studying the screenplay for the movie: "That is so charming. It's so humorous."

Julia Roberts wasn't impressed by the concept of Notting Hill.

The After the Hunt star revealed her preliminary skepticism in regards to the iconic 1999 romantic comedy throughout an interview with Deadline.

"Gosh, I simply keep in mind when my agent known as me about Notting Hill and I believed, 'Nicely, that sounds just like the dumbest thought of any film I may ever do,'" Roberts remembered.

The movie noticed Roberts painting an A-list Hollywood star who falls in love with a shopkeeper (Hugh Grant) as she tries to put low in London. The Fairly Girl actress was not significantly enthused by that premise. "'I'm going to play the world's largest film star and I do what?'" she recalled pondering. "'After which what occurs? This sounds so f—ing silly.'"

Nevertheless, upon studying Richard Curtis' screenplay, Roberts modified her tune. "After which I learn the script, and I used to be like, 'Oh. That is so charming. It's so humorous. Oh, s—,'" she remembered. "After which I went to lunch with Richard [Curtis] and [producer] Duncan [Kenworthy] and beloved [director] Roger Michell, could he relaxation in peace."

Regardless of being charmed by the script, Roberts stated that she initially took that lunch assembly to inform the filmmakers that she meant to cross on the movie. "They usually have been simply so charming and candy and enjoyable," she stated. "And I believed, 'Wow, that is actually going to occur.'"

Roberts remembers the Notting Hill expertise with fondness. "We had an exquisite time doing it. It was forged to perfection [by Mary Selway], all the buddies, everyone," she stated. "It was so nice. And we had an exquisite time. And I believe Roger, he simply created the movie in a means that it simply, at each flip, it succeeded. It achieved its targets."

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The My Finest Pal's Wedding ceremony actress beforehand stated that she had reservations about portraying a fictional actress throughout a dialog with Curtis for British Vogue in 2024.

"Actually, one of many hardest issues I’ve ever needed to do was your film enjoying a film actress," she stated. "I used to be so uncomfortable! I imply, we’ve talked about this so many instances, however I virtually didn’t take the half as a result of it simply appeared — oh, it simply appeared so awkward. I didn’t even know tips on how to play that particular person."

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Roberts additionally mirrored on her strategy to appearing in comedy movies like Notting Hill in her dialog with Deadline. There’s a math, however I believe it modifications relying on the type of comedy that it’s," she stated, noting recommendation she obtained from the director of Fairly Girl and Runaway Bride. "Garry Marshall would at all times say {that a} joke is in three components, like a drum beat. I imply, folks have their other ways of taking a look at it."

She continued, "For me, I believe it will simply depend upon what the purpose is. However I imply, the enjoyment of life is making folks snort for me. Particularly my husband, if I could make my husband actually snort — as a result of he makes me actually snort — then it simply fills me up."

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