Hollywood’s legendary smile opened a new chapter in Venice: at the end of August, Julia Roberts made her first-ever appearance at the Venice International Film Festival—and was immediately able to celebrate one of the most serious performances of her career. At the premiere of her new film After the Hunt, she was greeted with a standing ovation: the audience applauded for six straight minutes. Yet the evening was more than just a successful debut—it marked a milestone in Roberts’s body of work, as the icon of Hollywood romantic comedies revealed a new side of herself in a tense, intellectual drama.
Julia Roberts first appeared in Hollywood in the late 1980s, but it was Pretty Woman in 1990 that brought her true breakthrough. Her smile, still one of the most famous trademarks in film history, won over millions and quickly made her the uncrowned queen of romantic films. Works like Notting Hill and My Best Friend’s Wedding further reinforced the image: Roberts stood for charm, lightness, and the accessibility of the American dream. But this never obscured her artistic ambition. In 2000, her role as the determined activist in Erin Brockovich won her an Academy Award, proving she was much more than a romantic icon—she was a genuine force in character-driven drama.
Through the 2000s, Roberts deliberately alternated her roles. At times she returned to comedies and lighter dramas (Eat Pray Love), at others she impressed in weighty supporting turns (August: Osage County). Along the way she avoided the career trap that captured many stars tied to romantic films: Roberts always found a way to reinvent herself.
Luca Guadagnino’s new film, After the Hunt, may well mark the beginning of a new era in her career. She plays a respected university professor whose career and reputation are shaken to the core by allegations raised by a student against a colleague. At its center, the film wrestles with dilemmas of power, responsibility, and social judgment—and Roberts delivers a more restrained, nuanced performance than ever before. At the press conference, the actress emphasized that the film does not seek to pass judgment but to spark debate. “Humanity is losing the art of conversation,” she remarked, noting that in today’s world immediate judgment often replaces dialogue. This perspective resonates with Guadagnino’s sensitive, intellectual cinematic style and reframes Roberts’s performance in a new light.
The Julia Roberts who conquered the world three decades ago with Hollywood’s most famous smile has now returned as an advocate for reflection and social dialogue. Time and again throughout her career, she has proven her ability to redefine herself. Venice only reinforced that trajectory: Roberts is no nostalgic star but an active, relevant artist who continues to shape the art of cinema.