Julia Roberts almost stayed on this side of the pond before starring in Notting Hill. In a recent cover interview with the film's screenwriter Richard Curtis for British Vogue, the Oscar-winning actress admitted she almost turned down the role of Anna Scott in the rom-com because she was “uncomfortable” with the part.
But although Roberts did ultimately say yes to "Notting Hill," she revealed on "Watch What Happens Live" in 2023 that she turned down another romantic comedy: 1998's "You've Got Mail," released the year before. She has no regrets about passing on this or any other film, though, because "it's all kind of destiny."
At the time of Notting Hill, Hugh was 38, and was still married to Elizabeth Hurley. In 2023, he is 62. Hugh Grant has been married to Swedish television producer Anna Eberstein since 2018.
"For June who loved this garden from Joseph who always sat beside her". This was the bench in the movie Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.
Notting Hill (10/10) Movie CLIP - The Wrong Decision (1999) HD
Who said I'm just a girl standing in front of a boy?
William : I live in Notting Hill. You live in Beverly Hills. Everyone in the world knows who you are, my mother has trouble remembering my name. Anna Scott : I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.
Stretching from North Kensington to Notting Hill Gate, Portobello Road is characterised by vibrantly-painted terraced houses, viral foodie spots and, of course, its must-see market (which is one of Time Out's best things to do in London this year).
How much did Julia Roberts get paid for Notting Hill?
(at around 38 mins) During the birthday dinner scene, Anna Scott is asked how much she made on her last film, and her reply is $15 million. This is the amount Julia Roberts was paid for her role in this movie.
Hugh Grant reportedly earned $7.5 million to star opposite Julia Roberts in the 1999 romantic comedy hit Notting Hill. Grant and Roberts apparently did not get along behind the scenes of the movie, which has been attributed to Grant's tendency to comment bluntly on his female co-stars' appearances.
Her agent told her it was "the best romantic comedy she had ever read". Roberts said that after reading the script she decided she was "going to have to do this". The decision to cast Hugh Grant as William Thacker was unanimous, as he and Richard Curtis had a "writer/actor marriage made in heaven".
Away from set, however, fans may be disappointed to learn that Hugh and Julia are anything but loved-up, and are understood to have a somewhat frosty relationship.
Notting Hill writer Richard Curtis has never openly claimed the plot was inspired by a real-life relationship but said his inspiration “was imagining what it would have been like to turn up to dinner at a friend's house with Madonna or Princess Diana”.
Richard Curtis has revealed that he recently wrote Notting Hill 2… but not as a movie. The legendary comedy writer had one of his most iconic film hits with the original Notting Hill, which starred Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts in a bittersweet romance between a bookstore owner and an American film star.
Barrymore's discernment in script selection proved absurdly beneficial, given that she began her ascent to stardom almost immediately after turning down Showgirls. She appeared in an array of unforgettable roles, cementing her place in the heart of Hollywood and audiences worldwide.
In the early Nineties, Michelle Pfeiffer reportedly turned down a long list of massive roles, from Thelma & Louise and Pretty Woman to Basic Instinct and Sleepless in Seattle.
Which actress turned down the leading roles in Pretty Woman and Ghost?
Molly Ringwald turned down the lead role in "Pretty Woman" because she thought the story was "icky." "Julia Roberts was wonderful in it," Ringwald said in a recent interview with The Guardian. In 2012, Ringwald said she was in casting talks in the film's early stages, but didn't recall turning it down.
Molly Ringwald Says She Turned Down Julia Roberts' Role in 'Pretty Woman': “I Didn't Really Like the Story” - IMDb. Molly Ringwald is getting candid about finding her way in Hollywood when she was younger, and why she turned down an iconic role in Pretty Woman.
Some people simply have a wicked sense of humor. According to Drew Barrymore, Hugh Grant is one of those people. Barrymore defended Grant on her talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, after the actor called her singing “horrendous” in their 2007 film, Music and Lyrics: “He is a hilarious, good human being.”
How old was Julia Roberts when she starred in Notting Hill?
By the time she starred in Notting Hill in 1999, 31-year-old Roberts had already made a name for herself as a rom-com leading lady, having won a Golden Globe for her performance in Pretty Woman.
When she earned $25 million for her role as Katherine Ann Watson in the 2003 drama “Mona Lisa Smile,” it was the highest salary ever paid to an actress for a film role. Although known primarily as an actress, she has also been executive producer of both films and television shows.
Bullock typically makes between $10 million and $20 million per film, though there are outliers, including her $5 million payday for The Blind Side (though she ended up making more than that thanks to box office gross bonuses) and her whopping $74 million take-home pay for Gravity.
Notable residents have included Damon Albarn, Stella McCartney, Robbie Williams, Sir Elton John, David Cameron, George Osborne, Hugh Grant, Jennifer Lawrence, Lindsay Lohan and Harry Styles to name a few! Here is some more information on the residents of Notting Hill: Population of 181,659. 38.1% rent privately.
These large houses were carved up into multiple dwellings, and after World War II the area worsened to become slums. Notting Hill also became home to a large number of Afro-Caribbean immigrants after World War II, and racial tension often arose – Britain's first race riots occurred in the area in August 1958.
The Knott section of the name may have been derived from the Viking king Cnut. If this is the case, then it is likely that a settlement at Notting Hill has existed in some form for over 1000 years. In the 18th century, Notting Hill became known for its brick making and pig farming industries.
