SmartLess

Julia Roberts

October 13, 2025

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  • Julia Roberts' birth hospital bill was paid by Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King because her parents ran a theater school attended by the King children. 
  • The hosts engaged in lighthearted banter regarding a potential 'SmartLess Live at the Hollywood Bowl' promotion and Jason Bateman's tendency to make 'cheap shots.' 
  • Julia Roberts shared an opening night story from her Broadway play with Bradley Cooper and Paul Rudd where a prop diary fell into the audience, requiring a crew member to retrieve it mid-scene. 
  • Julia Roberts praised director Luca Guadagnino for his meticulous attention to detail and curiosity about human behavior while filming their project, which received a six-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. 
  • Julia Roberts keeps memorabilia, including costumes and wedding dresses from *Runaway Bride*, stored in her garage in New Mexico, but values a drawing gifted to her by Meryl Streep from *August: Osage County* most highly. 
  • The film *After the Hunt* is scheduled for a select theater premiere on October 10th, followed by a wider release on October 17th, and the conversation concluded with praise for Julia Roberts' iconic career and her connection to *Arrested Development*. 

Segments

Hollywood Bowl Plug Banter
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(00:01:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts jokingly resisted doing a ‘shameless plug’ for the SmartLess Live show at the Hollywood Bowl on November 15th.
  • Summary: The hosts engaged in a brief, self-aware exchange about promoting their upcoming live show at the Hollywood Bowl scheduled for November 15th. One host expressed reluctance to perform what he deemed a ‘gross’ cold open plug for tickets available at smartless.com/slash live. The exchange concluded quickly, moving into the main welcome.
Willie’s New NYC Apartment
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(00:02:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Will Arnett recently acquired a new residence in New York City.
  • Summary: The hosts checked in with Will Arnett, who confirmed he has a new place in New York City where he is currently getting settled. He mentioned he was not yet doing press for his upcoming movie. The segment included light teasing about Arnett having a ‘handler’ and a ‘gambling issue.’
Charity Event Support
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(00:02:57)
  • Key Takeaway: Will Arnett recently emceed a charity event for The Young Eisner Scholars, which supports higher education for smart kids from underserved communities.
  • Summary: Jason Bateman mentioned that Will Arnett recently emceed a charity event for The Young Eisner Scholars, founded by Eric Eisner. This organization identifies bright students from underserved communities and helps fund their access to secondary or higher education. Bateman related this to his own experience in the TAG (Talented and Gifted) program as a child.
Julia Roberts’ Historic Birth Fact
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(00:06:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King paid for Julia Roberts’ hospital bill when she was born because they were friends with her parents who ran a theater school.
  • Summary: Sean Hayes introduced Julia Roberts by revealing that Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King paid her hospital bill in 1975. This connection stemmed from the fact that Roberts’ parents operated a theater school that the King children attended. Roberts also played the clarinet in her high school band.
Broadway Play Mishap
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(00:12:04)
  • Key Takeaway: During a Broadway performance of a play with Bradley Cooper and Paul Rudd, a prop diary slid off the stage into the aisle on opening night, requiring a crew member to retrieve it while the actors continued their scene.
  • Summary: Julia Roberts recounted an incident during a play where a prop diary, tossed onto a mattress by Paul Rudd’s character, skittered into the audience aisle. The actors maintained their performance while a crew member crawled down the aisle to ask a front-row patron to return the book. Paul Rudd smoothly incorporated the retrieval by thanking the man just as his character was about to pick up the diary.
Early Career Aspirations and Jobs
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(00:15:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Before acting, Julia Roberts considered becoming a veterinarian and later a home economics teacher, and she worked selling running shoes at The Athlete’s Foot in New York City.
  • Summary: Roberts revealed she initially wanted to be a veterinarian but lacked the necessary science aptitude. After moving to New York to be near her sister, she worked at The Athlete’s Foot on 72nd and Broadway. She also mentioned that if college hadn’t been financially feasible in 1985, she might have pursued becoming a home economics teacher.
First Professional Acting Role
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(00:26:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Roberts’ first professional acting gig was a role as a 15-year-old girl in the Michael Mann TV show ‘Crime Story,’ which was a precursor to ‘Law & Order.’
  • Summary: Roberts’ first professional role was on ‘Crime Story,’ where she played a teenager dealing with a potentially abusive stepfather. She was cast out of New York, which provided momentum without the immediate pressure of needing to declare acting as her sole career path. She was managed early on by Bob McGowan, who also signed Dylan Walsh.
Impact of ‘Pretty Woman’
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(00:30:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Roberts missed the immediate cultural impact of ‘Pretty Woman’ because she was filming ‘Sleeping with the Enemy’ on location in a small town.
  • Summary: Roberts confirmed there was a distinct ’life before’ and ’life after’ ‘Pretty Woman,’ though she was spared the immediate momentum of its success. She was shooting ‘Sleeping with the Enemy’ in a remote location and only learned about the film’s box office success later via a crew member reading USA Today. She prefers focusing on the work rather than the unpredictable machinations of the business.
Marriage Longevity and Meeting Danny Moder
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(00:36:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Roberts attributes the longevity of her marriage to Danny Moder to him being her best friend and the only person she wants to make out with.
  • Summary: Roberts and her husband, cinematographer Danny Moder, met on the set of the movie ‘The Mexican,’ where he worked as a focus puller. They were apart for seven weeks while she filmed ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ in New Delhi and he was in Detroit, which they realized would never work long-term. They keep their relationship special by saving each other’s letters in ceramic pots.
Coping with Loss Through Humor
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(00:51:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Roberts uses humor and making light of difficult situations, such as her father leaving and her mother’s Alzheimer’s, as a necessary coping mechanism to avoid constant sadness.
  • Summary: Roberts stated that ‘Abandonment can be funny’ because if you don’t laugh, you cry, referencing her father leaving when she was young and her mother’s subsequent battle with Alzheimer’s. She shared a story about her mother, while in memory care, aggressively encouraging a reluctant Sean Hayes to dance by calling him a vulgar name.
New Film ‘After the Hunt’
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(00:55:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Roberts’ new film, ‘After the Hunt,’ directed by Luca Guadagnino, features a complex character and was praised for its brilliant, innovative filmmaking style.
  • Summary: Roberts praised director Luca Guadagnino for being innovative and intensely curious about human behavior, noting his meticulous attention to detail in the film’s aesthetic. The film received a six-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. The conversation highlighted a specific scene where the camera cuts directly between Roberts and co-star Io [Io Aderibigbe] during an argument.
Praise for Luca Guadagnino
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(00:56:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Luca Guadagnino is described as a wonderfully curious and innovative director.
  • Summary: Julia Roberts praised Luca Guadagnino for being the most curious person she has met, focusing intensely on every detail of his visual choices. A specific scene involving an argument cut directly to the camera was highlighted as highly effective. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, earning a six-minute standing ovation.
Film Festival Experiences
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(00:57:58)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Roberts found film festival launches, like Venice, to be a new and positive experience.
  • Summary: Julia Roberts admitted she had never attended the Venice Film Festival before, finding the televised images of festivals like Cannes terrifying. She noted that once committed to attending, one must adopt a ‘sporting event mentality’ to enjoy the glamor and festivities.
Memorabilia Collection Inquiry
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(00:59:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Roberts keeps costumes and wedding dresses from Runaway Bride in her New Mexico garage.
  • Summary: When asked about film memorabilia, Julia Roberts mentioned having many costumes, including wedding dresses from Runaway Bride stored in her garage. She values a drawing Meryl Streep created for her as a wrap gift from August: Osage County more than physical props.
After the Hunt Release Details
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(01:00:48)
  • Key Takeaway: After the Hunt premieres in select theaters on October 10th.
  • Summary: The film After the Hunt is set for release in select theaters on October 10th, with a wider release following on October 17th. George Clooney produced this movie, which Julia Roberts highly recommends.
Arrested Development Fandom
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(01:02:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Roberts and her husband were devoted fans of Arrested Development when it first aired.
  • Summary: Julia Roberts shared that she and her husband used to watch Arrested Development episodes as they aired, often watching football beforehand. Her youngest son, now in college, is rewatching the series from the pilot, a show her children usually refuse to watch.
Mitch Hurwitz Update
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(01:03:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Mitch Hurwitz, creator of Arrested Development, is doing okay and remains an exceptionally funny person.
  • Summary: Julia Roberts recently spoke with Mitch Hurwitz a couple of days prior to the recording. She confirmed he is doing okay and immediately reverts to being the funniest person of all time when texting.
Post-Interview Wrap-up
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(01:04:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Julia Roberts’ career longevity allows her to maintain her status despite taking career pauses.
  • Summary: The hosts reflected on Julia Roberts’ iconic status and her ability to work with incredible directors consistently throughout her career. They noted that even when she elects to take pauses, the industry keeps her place secure upon her return.
Sponsor Read: DSW
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(01:07:09)
  • Key Takeaway: DSW offers a wide variety of styles at great prices, encouraging customers to find shoes that suit them.
  • Summary: DSW is promoted as the place to find good shoes without paying high prices, offering endless options for every style and occasion. Customers are encouraged to stock up on sneakers or try new boots at DSWStores or dsw.com.
SiriusXM Subscription Plug
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(01:07:40)
  • Key Takeaway: New SmartLess episodes are available ad-free and one week early via SiriusXM Podcasts Plus subscription.
  • Summary: The podcast has joined the SiriusXM family, promising new surprise guests. Listeners can hear new episodes ad-free and a week early by subscribing to SiriusXM Podcasts Plus on Apple Podcasts or visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.