Julia Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. She was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actress for playing the title role in the movie Erin Brockovich.
Born Julie Fiona Roberts in Smyrna, Georgia, Roberts first caught the attention of moviegoers with her performance in the film Mystic Pizza in 1988. The following year she was featured in Steel Magnolias as a young bride battling diabetes, garnering her first Oscar nomination (as Best Supporting Actress) for her performance. She catapulted to worldwide fame co-starring with Richard Gere in the Cinderella-story Pretty Woman in 1990, which also earned her a second Oscar nod, this time as Best Actress.