IntroductionEvery one of us has our idols, from hockey players to actors, from artists to singers. We adore them to be joyful.

Nowadays people are mostly under a great stress. So we do sometimes relax ourselves by admiring, regarding or even imitating our idols. It may be possible that we copy them wrongly but as a matter of fact, we find joy, happiness along the way.

Julia Roberts – The American Sweetheart is an idol of mine. She first attracted me in, one of her works, acting with Mel Gibson, “Conspiracy Theory.” It’s a movie about Jerry (Mel) sees conspiracies everywhere. One has turned to be true. His enemies want him dead. And she is the only one he can trust.

 

Believe me or not. I’ve seen over ten of Julia Roberts’ movies. As a movie fan, I try my level best to perfect this thesis and also to know more about the Oscar winner, Julia Roberts.

Parents

Julia is the daughter of Walter Roberts who was a vacuum cleaner salesman, an actor, and a writer. Her mother, Betty Motes, was a church secretary and actress.

SiblingsJulia has a sister, Lisa (born 1965), a brother Eric (born 1956), and a half-sister, Nancy Motes (born 1976). Lisa is an actress, and Eric Roberts is an established actor. Lisa was in "Something To Talk About" with Julia, and Eric was in Julia's first movie - "Blood Red."

ChildhoodWalter and Betty wed in 1955 after touring military bases in a production of "George Washington Slept Here" (which was directed by Ron Howard's father - Rance). Her parents divorced in 1972 when Julia was only four, and her father, with whom Roberts shared a deep attachment, died of cancer when she was just nine. Julia has said that the death of her father altered every philosophy of life she ever had. While both of her parents were experienced in acting, it was Julia's goal in life to become a veterinarian. During her teen years Julia worked in a shoe store and an ice cream shop. However, following graduation from Campbell High School in Smyrna, Julia joined her sister Lisa in New York and set out for an acting career.

High School Days After flirting while working summer jobs in 1984 at an Atlanta ice cream shop, Bill Knight and Julia began dating. But by November their romance had fizzled. "It was an infatuation," Knight says now, "and it lasted as long as infatuations last." Nonetheless, they remained friends and, that spring, Roberts, a senior at Campbell High School in Smyrna, Ga., asked Knight, a junior at Atlanta's Lovett School, to her prom. "She looked charming--she had her hair all done up nicely," recalls Knight, who escorted Roberts in his Oldsmobile. "She was a lot of fun to hang out with." Later that evening, Knight--who had to take a college entrance exam the next day—kissed Roberts an early good-night. Though they wrote a few times, he never saw Roberts after she moved to New York City that fall. Now earning his MBA at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Knight, whose girlfriend works in sales at the Georgia Dome, is tickled by his ex's success. "It's turned out to be a little amusing," he says. "You don't think of your friends being in the movies." Julia graduated from Campbell High School in 1985. Julia spent her summers as a teen at Camp Birchwood on Steamboat Lake, just outside of the tiny town of Laporte. In Julia's words: "It was my uncle Jim's camp. He's since passed, but it's still the family camp." As it turns out, Roberts says, her Minnesota background is quite extensive: "My mom's side (of the family) is from Bemidji, and my Grandma lived in Walker."

Early Movie Career Following high school graduation, Julia joined her older sister Lisa in New York and set out for an acting career. In 1987 Julia earned a small part in the movie "Firehouse." Not having much luck at first, Julia's brother Eric talked the director of "Blood Red" into allowing his sister to join him in the cast in 1988, along with veteran actor Dennis Hopper. Later in 1988, "Mystic Pizza" and "Satisfaction" were released, which introduced Julia and her talents to the public, in her first real roles. One year later "Steel Magnolias“ almost instantly made Julia "America's Sweetheart" as she played the role of Shelby amidst veteran actresses such as Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Darryl Hannah, and others. Julia's acting career was established. "Pretty Woman" followed the next year and suddenly (with a lot of hard work) the shy young girl from Smyrna was a celebrity, with all that goes with stardom.

Marriage Julia married Lyle Lovett, the country music star, on June 27, 1993, in Marion, Indiana; the marriage ended on March 27, 1995. However, the two are still good friends today.

Hobbies The actress has several dogs including a German shepherd-husky mix named "Diego.“ Julia's hobby is knitting, and it is reported that she knits on the set between scenes and even teaches those on the set how to knit. Julia's production company is named "Shoelace Productions" and is located in New York City and her film agency is Revolution Studios - Gotham; Elaine Goldsmith- Thomas is Julia's agent. Julia's publicist is Marcy Engelman of Engelman Associates loca ted in New York City. It is estimated that "America's Sweetheart" has grossed over $2.3 billion worldwide in her short career. Julia Roberts owns a duplex apartment in New York, a house in the Hollywood Hills, and a fifty acre retreat near Taos, New Mexico.

Main MoviesMOVIE CHARACTER RELEASE DATE

The Mexican Samantha Barzel March 2, 2001

Wild Horses Of Mongolia Herself October 22, 2000

Erin Brockovich Erin Brockovich March 17, 2000

Runaway Bride Maggie Carpenter July 30, 1999

Notting Hill Anna Scott May 28, 1999

Stepmom Isabel Kelly Dec. 25, 1998

PBS - Orangutans Herself May 20, 1998

Conspiracy Theory Alice Sutton August 8, 1997

My Best Friend's Wedding Julianne Potter June 20, 1997

Everyone Says I Love You Von January 3, 1997

Mary Reilly Mary Reilly February 23, 1996

Something To Talk About Grace Bichon August 4, 1995

Pret-A-Porter Anne Eisenhower December 25, 1994

I Love Trouble Sabrina Peterson June 29, 1994

The Pelican Brief Darby Shaw December 17, 1993

The Player Herself April 10, 1992

Hook Tinkerbell December 11, 1991

Dying Young Hilary O'Neil June 21, 1991

Sleeping With The Enemy Sarah/Laura February 8, 1991

Flatliners Rachel Manus August 10, 1990

Pretty Woman Vivian Ward March 23, 1990

Steel Magnolias Shelby Eatenton November 15, 1989

Mystic Pizza Latcherie October 21, 1988

Satisfaction Candy Hutchens Feb. 12, 1988

Blood Red Daryle Shane January 1988

Firehouse Maria Collogero 1987

1. - “American’s Sweetheart” 2. - “Ocean's Eleven”

Awards and Nominated

YEARNOM or WON

AWARD

YEAR WON/NOM AWARD

2001 WON Academy Award - "Best Actress" - Erin Brockovich

2001 WON Screen Actors Guild Awards - "Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role"

2001 WON British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards - "Best Actress" - Erin Brockovich

2001 WON Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award - "Best Actress" - Erin Brockovich

2001 WON People's Choice Awards - "Favorite Motion Picture Actress Award"

2001 WON 58th Golden Globe Award - "Actress In a Leading Role - Drama" - Erin Brockovich

2001 WON The National Board of Review - "Best Actress in 2000" - Erin Brockovich

2001 WON The Broadcast Film Critics Association chose Julia Roberts and Russell Crowe as the top actors of 2000

2000 WON People's Choice Awards - "Favorite Motion Picture Actress Award"

2000 NOMINATED 57th Golden Globe Award - "Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Award" - Notting Hill

1999 WON Fifth Annual Blockbuster Entertainment Awards - Favorite Actress Drama - "Stepmom"

1999 NOMINATED Primetime EMMY Awards (1998-1999) - Best Outstanding Actress - Guest Role in a Drama Series, for her role as Katrina Ludlow "Law & Order", on May

5, 1999 1998 WON People's Choice Award - Favorite

Motion Picture Actress - "My Best

Friend's Wedding

1998 WON Blockbuster Entertainment Award - Favorite Actress, Suspense - "Conspiracy Theory"

1998 WON Blockbuster Entertainment Award - Favorite Actress, Comedy "My Best Friend's Wedding"

1998 NOMINATED Golden Globe Awards - Best Performance By An Actress -Comedy/Musical - "My Best Friend's Wedding"

1998 NOMINATED Golden Satellite - Best Actress, Comedy/Musical"My Best Friend's Wedding"

1997 WON Hasting Pudding Theatricals, USA - Woman Of the Year

1991 WON Golden Globe - Best Performance by Actress in Comedy/Musical - "Pretty Woman"

1991 WON NATO/ShoWest - Female Star of the Year Award

1991 NOMINATED Academy Award - Best Actress - "Pretty Woman"

1990 WON Golden Globe Award - Best Supporting Actress - "Steel Magnolias"

1990 NOMINATED Golden Globe - Award For Best Actress - "Pretty Woman"

1990 NOMINATED Academy Award - Best Supporting Actress - "Steel Magnolias"

Box-office StatisticsIndividual Movie Earnings (Domestic) - All Movies:

$MILLION MOVIE

76.1 Conspiracy Theory

32.3 Dying Young

125.5 Erin Brockovich

10.0 Everyone Says I Love You

61.3 Flatliners

119.7 Hook

30.6 I Love Trouble

5.6 Mary Reilly

11.0 Michael Collins

126.8 My Best Friend's Wedding

14.2 Mystic Pizza

116.1 Notting Hill

11.2 Pret-A-Porter

178.4 Pretty Woman

151.9 Runaway Bride

9.0 Satisfaction

101.6 Sleeping With the Enemy

51.0 Something To Talk About

83.7 Steel Magnolias

91.1 Stepmom

58.6 The Mexican

100.6 The Pelican Brief

21.7 The Player

Julia Roberts had finally gotten the prize she has been seeking. She does attribute a lot and also is good at acting, that’s why the Academy gave her the priceless Oscar Statuette.

 I have to admit that every time I see a piece of new, report about Julia Rob

erts whether on the Net or in the newspapers, I am delighted, even it’s a short one. And either by browsing her news or enjoying her every single movie, I learn more about Western culture. To idolatrize her is not only to satisfy my emotion, spirit but to increase my knowledge of English.

 Unlike many idolaters, I don’t follow the stars’ dressing, hairstyle, and so o

n. My life is based on myself. I just luckily discover another way to entertain myself. There is no right nor right to be a fan of someone but to appreciate him or her with the proper method is a task we must not ignore.

Conclusion

Referencehttp://home.t-online.de/home/Peter_Dietze/homepage.htmhttp://www2.netdoor.com/~cplowe/julia.htmhttp://www.boxofficereport.com/index.shtml (Box Office Report)http://www.showbizdata.com/contacts/dailybox.htm (Showbizdata)http://www.boxofficeguru.com/intl.htm (Worldwide Box Office Grosses)http://www2.netdoor.com/~cplowe/julia.htm  <<Dave>>, Early-February, 2001 Jam Showbiz The Hollywood Reporter Variety.com, September 18, 2000 <<Dave>>, March 9, 2001 <<Dave>>, early-Feburary 2001 "USA Today" British movie news site <<Popcorn>> << 聯合報 >>, 中華民國九十年三月六日 , 28 版<< 聯合報 >>, 中華民國九十年三月十三日 , 28 版<< 中國時報 >>, 中華民國九十年三月十一日星期日 , 28 版