The 46-year old is now very picky about which movies she stars in, and almost turned down a role in the upcoming film: August: Osage County.
It is a family portrait etched in acid, and the mother that Meryl Streep plays is the meanest of the bunch.
But mom has met her match in her eldest daughter, played by Julia Roberts. Roberts is a Golden Globe nominee thanks to her role in August: Osage County, and she could be in the Oscar race as well when Academy Award nominations come out a week from Thursday.
"All the elements were there in this particular movie, and it was a perfect scenario and still one that I hesitated," said Roberts.
Hesitated because filming the movie in Oklahoma would mean weeks away from her husband and their three young children in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
"Just kept doing the math over and over in my head," said Roberts.
Plus, the star had been a full-time mom for a couple of years, which left her wondering.
"Would I really be able to focus? Because this would take all of my attention. Do I have the ability to really have that laser focus still for a piece of work, and it was a great test to see if I could do it," said Roberts.
Julia did it so well, she might be back in the winner's circle at the Oscars after more than a dozen years, and if she were so lucky?
"My sense of of pride would just feel differently, be more grounded, a triumph that I can sort of present to my family because it was a group effort of getting this movie accomplished in our household."
