Profile of the Day: Julia Roberts

Happy birthday to Julia Roberts! Today the actress turns 54.

Image: Julia Roberts / David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Roberts was born on October 28, 1967 in Smyrna, Georgia to Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts. The youngest of three children, Roberts grew up in a highly creative household. Her parents were actors and co-founded a workshop for aspiring actors and writers in Atlanta.

In 1989, she earned critical praise for her performance in the film Steel Magnolias, in which she co-starred alongside acting legends Sally Field and Shirley MacLaine. Her performance earned Roberts her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Soon after, her career skyrocketed. The 1990 box office hit Pretty Woman made her into an international star and cemented her position as one of Hollywood’s most popular actresses. In 2001, she won her first Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film, Erin Brockovich.

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