Julia Roberts has been recognized for a long time for her gorgeous smile, elegant approach, and parts that people will never forget, including her role in Pretty Woman, which made her a celebrity, and her performance in Erin Brockovich, which won her an Academy Award. But while she was filming August: Osage County, the actress got rid of all the flash and splendor of Hollywood. Roberts looked bare, raw, and almost unrecognizable while they were filming in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She played Barbara Weston, a daughter who was sad and had troubles with her family.
The 44-year-old actress appeared on set with Ewan McGregor, her co-star. She was wearing layers of informal, dowdy clothes that showed how troubled and typical her character was. Roberts wasn’t the polished star that fans remember from the red carpet. She had on a white shirt over a cream-colored top and blue pants that were too big for her. Her long brown hair was left natural and unstyled, and she didn’t wear any makeup that usually makes her seem good on camera. The transformation was very noticeable, and it made us think of Roberts’ dedication to being authentic instead of vain when the role asks for it.
The scene they were filming was quite sad. A sheriff helped Roberts and McGregor, who played her estranged husband Bill Fordham, walk hand in hand to a dock. Barbara had to do the awful job of identifying a dead body after the tense moment was over. It was her father, the Weston family’s alcoholic patriarch, who was missing. Roberts sank to the floor in tears when the sheet was pulled back. She put on a show that was both real and humorous as she leaned into McGregor’s arms and the camera caught her pain.
People who saw Roberts as the beautiful Hollywood celebrity and Roberts as the grieving Barbara Weston were astonished by how different they looked. One reason she is still one of the best actors of her generation is because she can completely immerse herself in a role.
The mood between takes was significantly lighter, even though the scene was somber. At one point, Roberts was seen laughing a lot with Julianne Nicholson, who looked like she was pointing out something humorous. There was a tremendous difference between the two: one minute she was crying for the camera, and the next she was laughing with her castmates. It felt like Roberts was very competent and at ease on set because he could effortlessly go from very happy and very sad.
Nicholson, who is most recognized for her performance in Boardwalk Empire, also loved the simple, unglamorous outfits for the movie. She had her hair put up in a simple ponytail and wore a blue top and brown flared leggings. It seems like the whole cast was aware of how important realism was to the plot.
In August, some of the top actors in Hollywood were there: Osage County. Little Charles Aiken was played by Benedict Cumberbatch, and Violet Weston, the family’s overbearing matriarch, was played by Meryl Streep, a famous actress. Before it ever came out, the movie was garnering a lot of attention because of its star-studded cast. It is based on Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
There have been some changes to the actors behind the scenes of the production. At one point, people thought that both Andrea Riseborough and Renée Zellweger would be good possibilities for major parts. Riseborough was the first choice, however she had to drop out because of scheduling conflicts. Then Juliette Lewis played Karen Weston. Chloë Grace Moretz also tried out for the role of Jean Fordham, but Abigail Breslin got the job instead. The final cast comprised both older and younger actors, which promised a lot of excitement on screen.
Roberts’ decision to wipe away all of Barbara Weston’s charm spoke a lot about how dedicated she was to her job. While she was filming, she was also taking care of her three kids and working. She and her husband, Daniel Moder, who is a cinematographer, were raising their kids together. But when she was on set, she threw all of her energy into playing a woman who was locked in a dysfunctional family that was falling apart because of a tragedy.
The fact that she looked like a “everywoman” in the movie instead of the Julia Roberts style that people were used to seeing helped the drama feel more real. Barbara Roberts wasn’t supposed to be beautiful; she was supposed to be real. She was a powerful woman who was heartbroken and angry as she faced with the death and disappearance of her father. Tracy Letts’ books and Roberts’ movie collection
Fans would have been astonished to see Roberts in jeans and layered blouses that didn’t look good on her and hair that looked limp and regular. For Roberts, though, it was another chance to show how adaptable she is. Her attractiveness and charm have not only defined her career, but also the depth she brings to characters who need to be emotionally honest. She completely embraced that in August: Osage County, reminding everyone why she has been one of Hollywood’s most bankable and admired actors for decades.
Roberts cried the whole time they were filming because her acting was so dramatic, but she was nice and cordial again between takes. That blend of seriousness and fun set the tone for a cast that had to tell one of the most emotionally hard stories ever produced into a movie.
It was clear that August: Osage County would be more than simply another movie on Roberts’ already impressive roster by the time the cameras stopped rolling. It was a chance for her to show audiences, and maybe even herself, that she could still surprise us after working in the business for decades.
Julia Roberts took away the glitter and showed the world that being real is what makes someone beautiful, and that taking on jobs that test comfort and expectations is what makes someone an artist.
