In “Eat, Pray, Love” Roberts plays the New York City-based author of the memoir upon which the movie is based. She goes on an around-the-world journey for self-fulfillment which ends, as the title would indicate, with her finding love in Bali with Javier Bardem’s Felipe. But Bardem’s just the latest man that Roberts, the queen of romantic comedies, has loved on the big screen. Before embarking on Roberts’ global odyssey in “Eat, Pray, Love,” take a look back at some of her most memorable leading men.
Columbia Pictures
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“Pretty Woman”
Buena Vista Pictures
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After starring opposite Nick Nolte, Dennis Quaid and Hollywood-heavyweight Denzel Washington, Roberts took a turn as Woody Allen’s muse, playing his love interest (and singing) in the ensemble musical, “Everyone Says I Love You.”
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In “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” Roberts shed her nice-girl persona to play a conniving pal of Dermot Mulroney’s who seeks to break up his character’s impending marriage to Cameron Diaz. She does it all, though, because she believes she’s truly in love with her longtime friend.
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Roberts didn’t have to stretch too far to play a superstar actress in 1999’s “Notting Hill,” where she romanced a book store owner played by Hugh Grant, living out many men’s fantasies.
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Later that year, Roberts scored her second blockbuster when she reunited with Richard Gere for “Runaway Bride.” Roberts played the titular flighty fiancee and Gere played a reporter trying to get her story who winds up growing increasingly close to her. You can probably see how this one turns out.
Buena Vista Ent./ZUMA Press
In Roberts’ next movie about Hollywood stars, “America’s Sweethearts,” she stayed out of the spotlight, playing Catherine Zeta-Jones’ faithful assistant and sister, who ends up falling in love with Zeta-Jones’ ex, played by John Cusack.
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It was another A-list pairing when Roberts took the screen opposite George Clooney as his bitter ex-wife Tess in “Ocean’s Eleven.” Her anger diminished and their chemistry grew by the end of the film. In the sequel, she seems to have so forgiven Clooney’s character’s thieving ways that she even participates in his heist.
Warner Bros
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In 2004’s “Closer,” Roberts played a photographer torn between two lovers, Jude Law (above) and Clive Owen, in this mature partner-swapping drama.
Clive Coote
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Three years later, Roberts reunited with “Closer” director Mike Nichols and shared the screen with Tom Hanks in “Charlie Wilson’s War.” Hanks plays the eponymous congressman who’s spurred to get more involved with the Afghan mujahideen’s fight against Soviet occupation by his friend and love interest, Joanne Herring, played by Roberts.
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Less than two years later, she reteamed with Clive Owen in the “who’s zooming who” espionage-themed romantic comedy “Duplicity.” In the movie, Roberts and Owen portray corporate spies, constantly trying to outplay each other.
Universal
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Will Roberts’ on-screen romance with Javier Bardem lead to the same sort of reunions she’s enjoyed with Richard Gere and Clive Owen? Time, and how well “Eat, Pray, Love” does at the box office will tell. –By HILARY LEWIS
ZUMApress.com
