Julia Roberts made some memorable appearances on the talk show circuit as she promoted her new Netflix movie, Leave the World Behind. During a December 4 stop on The View, she hilariously helped the cohosts promote hair products, and on December 5, she gushed about being a Swiftie on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Two nights later, she reenacted the viral “Name ’Em” scene from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on Watch What Happens Live (she played Sutton Stracke, while Andy Cohen took on the role of Kyle Richards). “It’s been a while since Julia’s been so public with a press tour,” says a source. “She’s enjoyed it.”
The actress has been navigating a new normal since her twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus, 19, went off to college in the fall. While her 16-year-old son, Henry, is still at home with Roberts and her husband of 21 years, cinematographer Danny Moder, 54, the dedicated mom has more time on her hands than she’s had in nearly two decades.
“Julia’s in one of the most bittersweet times in her life right now,” says the source, noting that while nearing empty nest status has “been hard” on the star, she can’t wait to jump back into her career full-time. “Julia has long had the option to pick whatever role she wants and work with whomever she wants, so she’s been having fun with that.”
Roberts, 56, has always been a hands-on mom. “She was turning down films so that she wasn’t away from her family for huge periods of time,” says the source of how the star’s priorities shifted after welcoming kids. “Acting is my dream come true, but it is not my only dream come true,” Roberts told CBS News Sunday Morning last year. “The life that I’ve built with my husband. The life that we’ve built with our children. And that’s the best stuff, to come home at the end of the day triumphantly to them.” She took four years off before filming 2022’s Ticket to Paradise with close pal George Clooney. “I love being at home,” she said while promoting the rom-com. “I love being a mom.”
She knew seeing her children go off to college would be challenging. “I mean, it makes me a little lightheaded,” the actress said in 2022, adding that she was also beyond excited for them. “It’s really thrilling, and I wasn’t lucky enough to have a college experience. And so to see how it’s happening for them is really fascinating.” Says the source: “Julia’s [excited about] her children being able to forge their own paths and experience all that life has to offer. She sees her kids becoming their own people and going out into the world, and she’s so proud of them.”
The source says Roberts is looking forward to taking on more acting roles, going on trips with friends and traveling with Moder: “Julia and Danny have much more quality time together now because the kids are so independent.” The longtime couple is in a good place after navigating ups and downs during their two decades together. On The View, she lovingly referred to Moder as “the captain” of their family’s ship, and shared her secrets to a happy marriage: “Lots of kissing hello and goodbye is really… a critical detail to daily life.”
“Julia and Danny had disagreements over the years,” says the source. “When things were contentious, they would take some time apart to reset, just a few days or a week so they could start to miss each other.” Adds a second source: “At the end of the day they’re a wonderful match because Danny is levelheaded and keeps Julia calm.”
The second source says divorce was never an option for the pair. “They had differences of opinion over where to live,” says the source, noting that Moder — an avid surfer — is “a die-hard SoCal boy,” while Roberts much prefers Northern California and San Francisco. “They’ve butted heads about that but always found a way to get through the rough times.”
Roberts — who’s worth an estimated $250 million — has credited Moder with keeping her grounded. “We are so in sync,” she said on Ali Wentworth’s “Go Ask Ali” podcast last fall. “Our priorities… are so aligned.” Adds the second source: “Danny is a phenomenal father and a supportive spouse, but also a great talent in his own right. He doesn’t crave validation or get bent out of shape over the fact he’s married to one of the biggest movie superstars of all time.”
The actress and Moder will keep their Malibu mansion as their home base but plan to spend time at their spread in New Mexico and in Europe. “Julia and Danny like to move around,” says the second source. “They’re happier enjoying simple pleasures, and Danny’s love of culture and the outdoors has been a big positive influence on their relationship.”
Fans will see more of Roberts, too. The second source says the actress wasn’t kidding when she told Cohen she’d be down for a sequel of her 1997 smash hit My Best Friend’s Wedding: “[The movie] has always had a special place in Julia’s heart.” She’d love to reconnect with her former costars, too, especially pal Rupert Everett. “Julia wants to be part of projects that bring her joy,” adds the source, “[so] it’s important she’s working with friends.”
The actress is also keeping an eye out for book adaptations and another “home run” project like Erin Brockovich, for which she took home an Academy Award in 2001. “She’s always looking for a movie that really breaks through and makes a dent in the culture,” says the second source, noting that Roberts loved the experience of making Leave the World Behind. “The main thing that slowed Julia down after she won her Oscar was her kids,” says the source. “The next few years could see her do more acting than ever.”
