Julia Fiona Roberts was born on October 28th, 1967 in Smyrna, Georgia. As a child, she had wanted to be a veterinarian, but by the mid-1980s, had decided on a career in acting. The first movie she filmed was Blood Red in, alongside her brother Eric, who had already found some success in Hollywood. However, despite being completed in 1986, the movie was not released until 1989, which was after Roberts had appeared in other films, including Mystic Pizza (1988).
Roberts' big break came in 1990, when she played the lead in the movie Pretty Woman, though she was third-choice for the role. Her performance earned her an Oscar nomination, a Golden Globe Award, and made her a household name. She went on to star in many more popular films including Sleeping with the Enemy (1991), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), Notting Hill (1999), Runaway Bride (1999), and Erin Brockovich (2000), which won her an Oscar for Best Actress.
Roberts has used her name and celebrity status to help UNICEF and other charitable organizations. She also narrated a documentary about Rett Syndrome, and helped raise money for research to find a cure.
