Julia Roberts almost rejected iconic Hollywood role she initially called fking stupid

Before it became a rom-com classic, “Notting Hill” almost lost its biggest star, Julia Roberts.Roberts, 58, said she initially dismissed the film as “so f–king stupid,” questioning the premise before discovering the charm that ultimately convinced her to sign 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 completely convinced she was going to say yes to the role.She agreed to meet with Richard Curtis, who wrote the “Notting Hill” script, producer Duncan Kenworthy and director Roger Michell, with plans to turn it down.“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 meeting 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.’”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, suddenly remembering one detail that she enjoyed about “Notting Hill.”“Alec Baldwin!” she exclaimed.

“That’s brilliant casting.”In May 2024, the iconic romantic comedy celebrated the 25th anniversary of its release.The film tells the sto...