Over the years, America’s sweetheart Julia Roberts has maintained her position as one of the most popular and loved stars universally. Having struck the perfect balance between commercial success and critical acclaim, Roberts and her charm are proof that age is only a number. The Pretty Woman actor’s latest film Leave The World Behind, saw her teaming up with a glittering ensemble cast which included Kevin Bacon, Mahershala Ali, and Ethan Hawke.
Being one of the producers of the film, Roberts was also personally invested in the narrative, which is based on a novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam. The icing on the cake for the Oscar winner was having former President of the United States and former First Lady, Barack and Michelle Obama as co-producers for the film. Roberts believed that their backing gave the script even more relevance.
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Julia Roberts Was Hyped To Have Barack And Michelle Obama’s Support
Leave the World Behind starring Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, and Ethan Hawke among other actors, is an apocalyptic psychological thriller directed by Sam Ismail. Based on a book by Rumaan Alam, the film works as a disaster movie in which two families must survive an ominous technological crisis during a family vacation. Apart from appearing on-screen as one of the protagonists, Roberts also produced the film along with director Ismail.
Apart from the powerful script, the Erin Brockovich star was also pleasantly surprised to find out that former President of the United States Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama had signed on as producers. Speaking of her excitement on the dynamic couple being part of the project, Roberts said in an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,
“I was told that in the beginning. I go, ‘wait, how did that happen?’ It’s right up there with Cheap Trick as my first concert. This is my street cred right there.”
The Oscar winner went on to state that the Obamas were avid readers, and the novel by Alam was on their reading list. She also revealed that the couple took a keen interest in how the film shaped up, and believed that their name and influence behind the project gave it the necessary credibility.
Julia Roberts’ Co-Star Was Moved By Her Kindness On Set
Apart from working with seasoned stars like herself, Julia Roberts also shared screen space with young and upcoming actor Myha’la Herrold in the Netflix thriller, Leave the World Behind. Along with being a big admirer of Roberts’ impressive filmography, Herrold was also privy to the Oscar-winning star’s pleasant and kind personality on set. Speaking of a particular incident when she was feeling pretty unwell with a headache, Herrold recalled how Roberts came to her rescue. In an interview with Brit + Co, she said,
“We spent a lot of time [at the kitchen table], me and Julia. But we were sat there and I had a headache that wouldn’t go away. And we sat there in between the millionth take of whatever it was, and she grabbed my hand and massaged [a trigger point right here].”
The Runaway Bride star’s nurturing and maternal act on set made Herrold feel extremely grateful and completely at ease on set. The young actor also praised Roberts’ humility, and her effort to treat everyone equally despite being a massive superstar.
Leave the World Behind is currently streaming on Netflix.
