Forgotten Julia Roberts Movie Is a Big Hit on Netflix
Julia Roberts can still draw a crowd, especially on Netflix. The beloved star appears in six movies on the streaming platform, including the 1998 drama Stepmom. The film, co-starring Susan Sarandon, was posted on Netflix on Dec. 1. As of this writing, Stepmom holds the number eight position on Netflix's Top 10 movies in the U.S. chart.
Stepmom stars Roberts as Isabel Kelly and Sarandon as Jackie Harrison. Isabel is about to become the stepmother of Jackie's children, played by Jena Malone and Liam Aiken, but winning the love of her future stepchildren isn't easy. Ed Harris stars as Jackie's ex-husband Luke. Isabel and Jackie have a strained relationship, but they try to fix things after everyone learns Jackie is terminally ill. The movie was written by Gigi Levangie, Jessie Helson, Steven Rogers, Karen Leigh Hopkins and Ron Bass, from a story by Levangie. It was directed by Chris Columbus, whose other credits include Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, the first two Harry Potter movies, and The Christmas Chronicles 2. John Williams wrote the score.
When Stepmom was released, it was a big hit for Sony, grossing $159.7 million on a $50 million budget. Sarandon earned a Golden Globe nomination. However, since the film earned mixed reviews from critics overall, it hasn't become one of Roberts' best-known films over the years. Other Roberts movies available on Netflix include Mystic Pizza, August: Osage County, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Closer.
Roberts, who won an Oscar for Erin Brokovich (now streaming on Peacock), is now filming Ticket to Paradise with George Clooney. The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on Oct. 21, 2022, and is directed by Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again filmmaker Ol Parker. The Universal project is Clooney and Roberts' first movie together since Money Monster (2011). They also starred in the Ocean's Eleven movies together. Roberts also wrapped production on Gaslit, a limited series about the Watergate scandal co-starring Sean Penn.
Aside from her Oscar for Erin Brokovich, Roberts was nominated for her performances in Steel Magnolias, Pretty Woman, and August: Osage County. She has Emmy nominations for her guest role in a Law & Order episode and the HBO movie The Normal Heart. In 2018, Roberts had her first lead role in a television series, starring in Prime Video's Homecoming Season 1.