Bullocks! Why Julia Roberts turned down The Proposal and The Blind Side...Part 2

Back in January 4, 2010 I wrote this post on my old blog. From the get go, it was always one of my most read posts ever and someone even used my post as the successful answer to a question on Yahoo! Answers.
But something bizarre happened today: I opened my old WordPress stats and realised that for some reason it received a huge spike in views today - almost 1000 in just 24 hours. I have no idea why! Anyway I've decided to re-post it on Shock New Look, as one of my crowning achievements. I've also added a brief follow up to it, too.

Ten years ago, Julia Roberts was undoubtedly America’s Sweetheart. Hell, she even had a movie with that title. Commanding as much as $20 million per film and winning a Best Actress Oscar, Julia was an unstoppable force at the box office. I mean, who else could make a bland shitfest movie like Mona Lisa Smile gross over $140 million worldwide?

Vintage Julia Roberts

Nowadays though, it seems America’s found a new sweetheart. Unfortunately for Jennifer Aniston, it’s not her.
Sandra Bullock was voted 2009′s Top Money-Making Movie Star. According to EW, she is also the first actress ever to have a top-billed star vehicle (The Blind Side) gross over $200 million in the USA alone.

2010 Best Actress winner Sandra Bullock

To add salt to her wounds, Sandra’s biggest hits of the year (and indeed, her career) — The Proposal and The Blind Side — were actually both offered to Julia first, according to the LA Times.

I know what you’re thinking. What was Julia thinking turning down not just one project but BOTH of them?

Apparently Julia wanted more money for The Proposal and had no interest in The Blind Side script. Apparently, Julia also still thinks its the 90s.

Actually, I jest. It seems that the 42-year old actress is planning a massive comeback this year. Julia’s next major lead role will be the film adaptation of Eat Pray Love, a project she reportedly accepted with a lower paycheck.  Plus she also has the Garry Marshall-directed ensemble flick, Valentine’s Day coming out this February. She means business this year. She ain’t playing anymore!

Could Eat Pray Love bring her 2011 Oscar Buzz, too? Like her glory days as Erin Brockovich? It’s possible. And in case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s her Oscar-winning performance summed up in one minute. Enjoy:

UPDATE:

Okay, so while Eat Pray Love found some success at the box office, it was widely panned by critics. Same can be said about Valentine's Day and Larry Crowne.

I know first hand how terrible Eat Pray Love and Valentine's Day were: I tried watching them both but could not even finish them. Eat Pray Love was terminally boring and self-indulgent, I stopped watching after 10 minutes. With Valentine's Day, I could not get past Taylor Swift's horrible acting. That wasn't Julia's fault but I wasn't impressed with the movie either. It was like a poor man's Love Actually.

To me though, I don't think Julia wants to be that mega movie star she was during the 90s, anyway. We all know how she feels about the paparazzi issue:

That's why I don't entirely believe that Julia really regrets turning down The Blind Side or The Proposal, as In Touch Weekly reported in August 2010:

“Julia Roberts (42) can’t help but feel upset that she had the chance to be in The Blinde Side, and turned it down,”an insider tells In Touch. Not only did Julia pass on the role that won Sandra Bullock (46) an Oscar, she was also replaces by Sandra in The Proposal after she refused to lower her salary."
Via ONTD

Oh. Julia.