Julia Roberts has long been considered one of Hollywood’s most luminous stars. With her unforgettable smile, effortless charm, and career-defining roles in films like Pretty Woman, Erin Brockovich, and My Best Friend’s Wedding, she carved out a reputation as both a box-office powerhouse and one of America’s most beloved leading ladies. But in 2012, fans were stunned when photos emerged from the set of August: Osage County in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, showing the actress looking almost unrecognizable. At 44, Roberts had shed the polished glamour that defined her star persona, stepping into a role that demanded she strip away the shine and embrace a raw, unvarnished realism.
Roberts was filming alongside Ewan McGregor, her co-star in the adaptation of Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play. The story revolves around the dysfunctional Weston family, forced back together after the disappearance and eventual death of their patriarch. Roberts played Barbara Weston, the eldest daughter, a woman unraveling under the weight of her failing marriage, her mother’s cruelty, and the emotional wreckage of her family’s secrets.
For the role, Roberts abandoned the trappings of her Hollywood image. She was photographed wearing baggy blue trousers, a loose cream blouse layered over a plain top, and minimal makeup. Her long brown hair was styled simply, with none of the usual red-carpet sheen. It was a stark contrast to the glamorous Julia that audiences had admired for decades, but it was a deliberate choice that spoke to the seriousness of the project and her commitment to authenticity. In the movie’s most harrowing scenes, she faced off against Meryl Streep, who played the domineering matriarch Violet Weston, and their verbal battles became some of the most memorable moments in the film.
On set, Roberts and McGregor filmed emotionally charged sequences, including one where their characters approached a dock as a sheriff prepared to identify a body. The intensity of the scene demanded restraint, silence, and a rawness that neither actor could hide behind costumes or makeup. Roberts’ stripped-down look was not just about appearance but about embodying the exhaustion and fragility of a woman carrying more than her fair share of pain.
The ensemble cast was stacked with heavyweights. Alongside Roberts, Streep, and McGregor were Juliette Lewis, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Abigail Breslin. Breslin, who was cast as Roberts’ daughter Jean Fordham, had won the role after Chloë Grace Moretz auditioned. Andrea Riseborough was originally tapped to play Karen Weston but bowed out due to scheduling conflicts, opening the door for Lewis. Renée Zellweger was also briefly in the mix during early casting discussions. The project was a magnet for talent, and it wasn’t hard to see why—August: Osage County was a rare opportunity for actors to tackle thorny, layered roles in a story that cut deep into themes of family, addiction, betrayal, and survival.
For Roberts, the transformation was more than physical. At that point in her career, she was already a mother of three and married to cinematographer Daniel Moder. The character of Barbara Weston, grappling with her crumbling family and her role as both daughter and mother, echoed parts of Roberts’ own life experience, lending her performance a grounded and painfully real quality.
What shocked many fans was not just her appearance on set but the willingness of such a celebrated beauty to forgo vanity in service of the story. Hollywood, often unforgiving to women as they age, especially those known for their looks, seemed to expect Roberts to cling to her image. Instead, she leaned into the vulnerability, showing that her artistry lay in her ability to disappear into character rather than hold onto superficial glamour.
The film, released in 2013, went on to receive critical acclaim and multiple award nominations, including Academy Award nods for both Roberts and Streep. For Roberts, it became another milestone in a career that had already spanned decades. Audiences who once knew her as the charming prostitute who captured Richard Gere’s heart in Pretty Woman now saw her as a seasoned dramatic actress, capable of tearing open the messiest parts of family life and making it ring true.
Roberts’ transformation in August: Osage County served as a reminder of why she remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring figures. While her appearance during filming caused buzz—headlines about her looking “unrecognizable” filled tabloids—it also highlighted her bravery as an artist. She wasn’t afraid to step into discomfort, to look ordinary, or even tired and worn down. That honesty gave her performance its power.
Today, when people look back on Julia Roberts’ career, August: Osage County often gets mentioned as a turning point. It proved that she didn’t need a designer gown, flawless makeup, or a megawatt smile to captivate audiences. She just needed the courage to show the truth of a character, however messy, complicated, or unglamorous it might be. And in that way, Roberts once again reminded the world why she has remained a force in Hollywood for more than three decades.