Julia Roberts is best known for her iconic Hollywood roles, including Pretty Woman and Erin Brockovich, the latter of which won her an Oscar. But while her acting talents have put her in the spotlight, the 56-year-old Notting Hill actress keeps her private life away from the cameras.
Details are sparse about her three children – 19-year-old twins Hazel and Phinnaeus Walter and 17-year-old son Henry – as are insights into her marriage with their father, cinematographer Daniel Moder. And you may have missed that Julia Roberts is also a practising Hindu.
As well as sharing three children: 19-year-old twins Hazel and Phinnaeus Walter, and 17-year-old son Henry with cinematographer husband Daniel Moder, you may have missed that Julia Roberts is also a practising Hindu.
Julia shares three children with her husband
Until 2010, the mum-of-three had kept her faith under wraps, but during the promotion circuit for Eat, Pray, Love, Julia opened up about her beliefs, telling Elle that she is “definitely a practising Hindu”.
The Academy Award winner said: “My mother ended up Catholic, my father Baptist. So the Baptist idea – the expressive appreciation for the gathering, the community – that I sort of get. So to end up in the spiritual life with my children makes perfect sense, provided those two things.
“A lot of what I’ve discovered as an adult in a Hindu temple brings these things together. As a family, we go to temple and chant and pray and celebrate.”
Julia on set of Eat, Pray, Love in Rome, 2009
In the adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s multi-million bestselling memoir Julia’s character goes to Italy to eat, to India for spirituality, and in Bali she finds love.
It had been widely reported that Julia’s presence in India during the filming of Eat, Pray, Love inspired her to convert to Hinduism, however, she has made it clear that this wasn’t the case – although she did draw on her own experiences while making the film.
During a press conference for the film Julia set the record straight: “I didn’t suddenly make this movie and start practising Hinduism. It was a part of my life for a very long time, and I realised I should stick with what my mom told me 22 years ago, ‘You’re an actor; act, don’t talk about politics, don’t talk about religion’.”
Julia filmed a large part of the movie in India
On Good Morning America, Julia shared the story of how she first became interested in the religion. She said: “It came from seeing a picture of a guru for Neeb Karori Baba.
“I was so drawn to this picture of this person and I didn’t know who he was or what he was about, but I felt a very strong interest. That’s the way things come into our lives. They’re not these big, great, crashing moments. It’s just the little like: ‘Hmm, what is this about?'”
Neeb Karori Baba was a revered spiritual leader and teacher who became widely known for his compassion, simple teachings and profound influence on spiritual seekers from around the globe. He is widely recognised as a Hindu saint.
He was born in 1900 in the village of Akbarpur in Uttar Pradesh, and was married at age 11 – which was not uncommon in rural India at that time – but left in his early 20s to become a wandering sadhu, a religious figure who renounces earthly life.
Neem Karori Baba Kainchi Dham Ashram in India
He was asked to return home by his father to fulfil his responsibilities to his wife, their two sons and their daughter. He did briefly return as a gesture of respect for his father’s wishes, but ultimately his deep spiritual calling eventually led him to leave family life and fully embrace his journey of renunciation. He did maintain connections with his family, however, and occasionally visited them.
He spent most of his life spreading the Hindu faith. Over 100 temples and ashrams were constructed in his name, although he never sought fame, preferring to live a life of simplicity and humility.
Though he died in 1973, long before the moment when Julia saw his picture, she still felt connected and compelled enough to explore the “very intriguing” faith.
Julia’s production company co-produced Ticket to Paradise
Julia’s production company is called Red Om Films, and while ‘Red Om’ backwards is ‘Moder’, which is her husband’s surname, ‘om’ also has special significance in the Hindu faith. It is considered one of the most important and sacred symbols of the religion and is also said to be the sound from which the universe was created. The three syllables are also said to represent the three major Hindu gods.
As well as producing Eat, Pray, Love, Red Om Films is also behind household favourites including Maid in Manhattan, Mona Lisa Smile and Ticket to Paradise, the last of which Julia starred in opposite George Clooney.
George Harrison’s ashes were scattered in India
Julia isn’t the only A-Lister to convert to Hinduism. The late Beatles star George Harrison made the switch from Christianity to the religion in the late 1960s. When he died in 2001, his ashes were scattered in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in India.
Other celebrities have expired the Hindu faith and associated practices, for example, Will Smith – who journeyed to India on more than one occasion and has been pictured participating in Hindu rituals.
“Travelling to India and experiencing the colours, people and natural beauty has awakened a new understanding of myself, my art and the truths of the world,” he wrote in an Instagram post during one such trip.
Will Smith has a close spiritual connection to India
Game of Thrones actress Lena Headey has tattoos of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, good fortune, happiness, youth, and beauty, and Ganesha – the remover of obstacles, bringer of good luck and god of beginnings.
Following the tragic death of his son, Sage, Sylvester Stallone performed a shradh, a traditional Hindu ceremony offering prayers, food and water to deceased relatives.
Madonna has also adopted Hindu symbolism, performing in mehndi hand paint and also praying at Hindu temples.
Madonna attracted controversy when she adopted symbols of Hinduism for an MTV performance
Hugh Jackman has included some elements of the Hindu faith in his practices. In an interview with Oprah, the Wolverine star revealed: “I meditate twice a day for half an hour. In meditation, I can let go of everything. I’m not Hugh Jackman. I’m not a dad. I’m not a husband. I’m just dipping into that powerful source that creates everything. I take a little bath in it. Oscar asks me, ‘What’s meditation?’ I say, ‘I’m just gonna go sit with God and have a rest.’ Occasionally, he’ll sit with me.
“Everyone takes a shower every day, and we don’t complain about it. We do it out of discipline. There will always be an excuse not to meditate. In the Hindu tradition, there’s something called ahankara, or the ego. The ego says, ‘You don’t need to meditate, man. You’re really busy. What about the kids?’ But do I say, ‘I can’t shower today because I have to make time for the kids?’ No.”
BY MILLIE JACKSON
