Julia Roberts has explained why she hasn’t starred in a romantic comedy in over two decades.
The Academy Award-winning actress admitted that she made the move deliberately because she hasn’t found anything “good enough.”
In an interview with the New York Times Magazine, Roberts stated that “people occasionally misinterpret the passage of time” as her “reluctance” to do a romantic comedy.
“If I had read something that I thought was on the level of ‘Notting Hill’ or ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding,’ I would have done it,” she explained.
“They did not exist until the film I recently completed (Ticket to Paradise), which was written and directed by Ol Parker.”
Roberts, 54, also mentioned during the interview that her family is another reason she hesitates before taking on an on-screen project.
“Here’s the thing: If something seemed good enough to me, I would have done it,” she continued.
“However, in the last 18 years, I’ve had three children. This raises the bar even higher, because it is no longer simply a matter of ‘Is this material good?’ It’s also the mathematical equation for my husband’s work schedule, the school schedules of my children, and their summer vacation.”
“It is not as simple as, ‘Oh, I believe I want to do this.’ I take great pride in being at home with my family and referring to myself as a homemaker,” she continued.
Additionally, Roberts acknowledged a “sense of responsibility” for “demonstrating to my children that I am capable of being creative and that it is meaningful to me – so meaningful, in fact, that for periods of time, I will prioritise it almost more than my family, which has been difficult for me to reconcile.”