Julia Roberts Shares Her Pick for the Hardest Working Actor in Hollywood

Julia Roberts has always believed that the harder someone works, the better they can become at their craft. This idea is exactly why she was so impressed by working with Meryl Streep, who many consider one of the greatest actors in film history.

Roberts told sources close to the industry that watching Streep work was eye-opening. She realized that genius is often just another word for relentless hard work. Roberts’ own rise in Hollywood came quickly after she decided to follow in the footsteps of her brother, Eric. She moved to New York in 1987 and shifted from modeling to acting.

Her first movie role was in Satisfaction, and just a few years later, she became a worldwide star with the 1990 hit Pretty Woman. By then, she was already one of the most bankable actors in the business. While Roberts was building her career, Streep had already established herself as a major figure in Hollywood, having started her film work in the late 1970s.

For Roberts, Streep was more than just a talented co-star. She became a role model for how to handle both work and life in the public eye. The two actors shared the screen in the 2013 family drama August: Osage County, produced by George Clooney.

Roberts said this project gave her the chance to see Streep’s approach to acting up close, and it left a lasting impression. “I have never seen anyone work harder than she does,” Roberts told reporters. “She doesn’t just snap her fingers and be a genius. She is the hardest-working girl in the room.”

Roberts explained that Streep showed her that being great at acting isn’t about luck. “Mastery is born from labor rather than luck,” she said. Watching Streep taught her that success comes from showing up and doing the work, not just natural talent. “Getting to know her was an honor, even if being in scenes with her was intimidating,” she added.

Even now, both Roberts and Streep continue to be major forces in Hollywood. Streep, who holds the record for the most Oscar nominations ever, is preparing for the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, which reunites her with Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt. She’s also set to play music legend Joni Mitchell in a high-profile biopic directed by Cameron Crowe.

Roberts is keeping busy, too. She recently starred in the thriller After the Hunt, earning a Golden Globe nomination. She is currently filming Panic Carefully, a suspenseful movie directed by Sam Esmail with Elizabeth Olsen and Eddie Redmayne. Later this year, she will return as Tess Ocean in Ocean’s 14, joining original co-stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

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