Gaslit: Julia Roberts Stars in the Shocking True Story
In a recent airing of “Julia Roberts: A Hollywood Fairytale” on Channel 5, the life of Julia Roberts was explored.
The show, part of a series focusing on iconic stars, delved into various aspects of her career.
However, not every moment in Roberts' Hollywood legacy has been glamorous.
In 1991, she found herself embroiled in a heated feud with none other than Steven Spielberg.
Roberts and Spielberg collaborated on the fantasy film Hook, released in the same year.
The movie starred Robin Williams as Peter Pan and Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, with Roberts playing Tinkerbell, Peter's fairy sidekick.
Behind the scenes, though, Roberts' personal life was falling apart.
At the time, she was engaged to Kiefer Sutherland, known for his roles in The Lost Boys and 24.
The couple had been dating since working together on Flatliners in 1990 and had become one of Hollywood's hottest pairs.
However, during the filming of Hook, paparazzi captured photos of Sutherland allegedly spending the night with a young dancer.
Steven Spielberg spoke about the difficulties Roberts faced during the filming of Hook, saying, “Julia probably went through the most trying times of her life [during filming].
And it was simply bad timing for all of us that she happened to start on Hook at that low point.”
When asked about the dramatic events on set, Roberts denied hearing the nickname “TinkerHell” personally but admitted to feeling frustrated by the situation.
She stated, “I'm a normal person.
I mean, if I sit in my trailer for six hours doing nothing, I'm going to say, ‘What the f**k is going on?'”
Roberts also claimed that Spielberg made shooting difficult for her with erratic schedules and additional shooting to make her appear more like the thumb-sized pixie she portrayed.
In response to Spielberg's comments about working with her, Roberts expressed shock when she learned that he didn't want to work with her again.
“I saw that, and my eyes popped out of my head,” she confessed.
“I couldn't believe it.
I couldn't believe that this person I knew and trusted was hesitating to come to my defense.
It was a hard lesson to learn.
It was the first time I felt I had a turncoat in my midst.”
However, Spielberg was not completely innocent in the feud.
He has since spoken openly about the stress and pressure he faced in making a successful film.
Despite grossing over $300 million at the box office, Hook was deemed a commercial failure due to its high production costs of over $70 million.
Spielberg has admitted to feeling like a “fish out of water” during the making of the film.
The shocking revelation of Spielberg's reluctance to work with Roberts again sheds light on the complexities and challenges that can arise in Hollywood.
Even the biggest stars are not immune to personal and professional conflicts.
Roberts' experience serves as a reminder that fame and success do not always guarantee smooth sailing in the industry.
