Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock are among the A-list actresses who have been prominently known for their portrayal in rom-com films. It will not be an exaggeration that their career reached greater heights due to their cult-romantic comedies. Even their success timeline is very similar to each other which was why people often got confused about the duo.
Having worked in almost the same genre, there are several projects that the former rejected during the peak of her career. However, she once rejected a major project that eventually helped the latter further strengthen her acting career in the industry.
Julia Roberts Refused to Work in The Blind Side
The 55-year-old actress, Julia Roberts had established herself among the most demanding actresses in the 2000s. Around the same time, she was offered to portray the leading lady in the widely acclaimed film, The Blind Side.
The 2009 film was based on Michael Lewis’s book of the same name which revolved around the story of NFL personality Michael Oher. Though it was a great opportunity that could have boosted her acting career, she decided to turn down the offer.
Instead of choosing John Lee Hancock’s film, she went ahead to star in Valentine’s Day alongside other star-studded cast members. Despite being a box-office success, the film garnered negative reviews from critics.
After she passed on the offer, the female protagonist’s role in the 2009 film eventually went to Sandra Bullock.
Sandra Bullock Won an Academy Award With Her Performance in The Blind Side
The Bird Box actress eventually accepted the offer to star in the film. She portrayed the role of Leigh Anne Tuohy which won her an Oscar. The film was a commercial success that grossed $309 million on a production budget of $29 million. She not just bagged an Academy Award, but also won the Golden Globe Award.
It was an impressive achievement in her career however many might be unaware of the fact that Bullock initially was hesitant on taking the role. However, she was happy that she eventually accepted the offer.
She told Extra,
“I’m glad I did it. It’s still a scary thought for me. I don’t know how I did it, but I had a lot of time to prepare for it.”
She gave her ultimate best to portray Tuohy’s role. In an interview, she opened up about asking her film director to get in touch with the real-life Tuohy about her fashion style. She wanted to immerse herself completely into the character which eventually gave her fruitful results.
Source: The Things