Celebrated for her unforgettable roles in movies like Pretty Woman, Erin Brockovich, and My Best Friend’s Wedding amongst many others, Julia Roberts has amassed an extensive repertoire of iconic performances. However, it looks like there could have been one more addition to her list of exceptional performances had she not refused the 1993 movie Sleepless in Seattle.

Julia Roberts

In a 2014 interview with InStyle magazine, Roberts revealed that she had the opportunity to star in the romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle, alongside Tom Hanks. However, she decided to go in a different direction, paving the way for Meg Ryan to play the role of Hanks’ star-crossed lover in the movie.

Julia Roberts doesn’t consider herself ambitious

During her interview with InStyle, Julia Roberts shared that she was offered a role in Tom Hank’s Sleepless in Seattle. However, despite not going ahead with the project, Roberts seemed extremely proud of Meg Ryan, who ended up playing the iconic role. She said,

“I’d been offered Sleepless in Seattle, but couldn’t do it. [Meg Ryan] and Tom Hanks are just such a jewel of a fit in that. I guess what they did for that moment in time is sort of what Richard [Gere] and I were doing across town, you know?”

Pretty Woman (1990)
Referring to her movie Pretty Woman with Richard Gere, it seemed that Roberts was busy shooting the movie around the same time and hence did not go ahead with Sleepless in Seattle. Expanding on how things worked out fine, Roberts went on to say that she did not consider herself ambitious. She added,

“I always feel like there is room for everybody. I don’t consider myself really all that ambitious. When I didn’t get a part – even when I was younger and needing to pay my rent – I would think, ‘Oh, someone else got it. She’s going to be so good.’ I never felt sour grapes.”

Julia Roberts on maintaining a healthy work-life balance

Apart from talking about missed opportunities, Julia Roberts also shared her insights on maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Making it clear that she never likes being asked ‘How do you do it all?’ Roberts instead counted the reasons why it is easier for her to balance work and life. She shared,

“A,  I’m not nearly as busy as people think. B, Half of everything just doesn’t get done. As long as no one is in tears, nobody smells bad and everyone’s sleeping peacefully, I’ve done my job. And C, I have a supportive group of girlfriends, a great husband, and an understanding family. The rest gets done with grit, spit, and a whole lot of duct tape.”

Julia Roberts
The 55-year-old actor is married to American cinematographer Daniel Moder and is a mother to three children. Being an Academy Award and three Golden Globes Award winner, Roberts is one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood.