My own life’s been a fairy tale: Julia Roberts

Hollywood hottie Julia Roberts’s name has been synonymous with romance and the Oscar-winner reveals that she’s a die-hard romantic for real too. “There’s a part of me that’s a big, soft-hearted and cheesy romantic, which is one thing I love about my profession. I get to indulge my indulgences by acting in romcoms and it qualifies as ‘work’,” she laughs. In an exclusive interview with DNA, the actor reveals more of her romantic side as she talks about fairy tales and her upcoming film Mirror Mirror.

Do you believe in fairy tales and happy endings?
Yes! Why not? My own life so far has been kind of a fairy tale. I’ve had such a blessed career getting to do the thing which I love and find some people I love. I have a loving husband and three children, whom I adore. I am a firm believer in the fact that fairy tales and happy endings exist in the real world too.

How challenging was it playing the evil Queen Clementina in Mirror Mirror (based on the fairytale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), vis-a-vis the Miss Goody-two-shoes that you have mostly played?
More than being challenging it was just a whole lot of fun to play this villain, because there aren’t real rules of syntax or reality that apply to her. It was fun to say whatever awful thing popped into my head. It was like my little dream come true!

If you could be any other fairy tale character, who would you be?
I don’t know which character I’d still be suitable for playing — I’m old, you see (laughs), but I’m pretty taken with the Beauty from Beauty and the Beast.

Like the Queen, did you ever have to deal with any sort of insecurities given the nature of your work?
I wish I could say I didn’t, but yes, there were periods in my career when I thought I wasn’t good enough or that I didn’t look pretty or that I had to lose weight. Thankfully, I had knowledgeable well-wishers around me who plonked me on my head (laughs) and got me back to my senses. I have now learned to become confident about myself and that has made everything more rewarding.

Any plans to visit India again?
I’ve been meaning to come to India ever since my first visit here. I loved the time I spent in India. I found great personal and artistic satisfaction here. I would love to return to this sacred land again and visit some key pilgrimage spots, like Haridwar or Puri. The last time I was here, shooting for Eat Pray Love, I did become quite fond of panipuri too (laughs).

You practice Hinduism. What drew you to it?
I have received real spiritual satisfaction through Hinduism. And ever since I’ve started practicing, the festivals (especially Diwali) attract me a lot too.

Are you familiar with Bollywood?
Of course, I’ve heard of Bollywood, but unfortunately, I’m not that familiar with the actors. I’ve also heard a lot about Satyajit Ray. As for acting, yes, if the project is something that excites me. I just hope you all won’t have a problem with my accent (laughs).