Julia Roberts' co-star recalls how she was mistreated by the director in her first Oscar-nominated film

Julia Roberts' co-star recalls how she was mistreated by the director on the set of The Movie Steel magnolias. Directed by Herbert Ross, based on the 1987 play and a film adaptation by Robert Harling, the 1989 film follows the close bond between a group of women in a small southern town and how they deal with the loss of one of their own . The film stars Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Tom Skerritt, Dylan McDermott, Kevin J. O'Connor and Sam Shepard.

In her new memoirs The wall of life (above diversity), Shirley MacLaine recalled how Julia Roberts was mistreated on set by director Herbert Ross Steel magnolias. She says the director mistreated and was unfair to Roberts and seemed threatened by her talent and beauty. Finally, the rest of the cast collectively asked the director to stop mistreating the young actress. Read MacLaine's full comments below:

He didn't treat her well and was so unfair to her. Everyone else could see how talented and beautiful she was, so we didn't take it too well. She seemed to threaten Herb Ross's sense of power. We told him to break up and leave her alone.

Earlier this year Sally Field also spoke about director Herbert Ross' mistreatment of Julia Roberts during filming Steel magnolias. In an interview, Field said the director was “very, very, very hard on Julia. If you ever talk to Julia, she will tell you.” Field continues, describing how the cast coalesced around the young Roberts: “We would all rally around Julia because she was the baby. She was kind of a newbie. And she was wonderful and he just teased her. It was terrible.”

Field sees no particular reason why Roberts was mistreated other than that the director did it.a real son of a bitch” And “Some people just need someone to choose“Field says it was Dolly Parton who first turned against the director.”Always with humor, but usually with the most vulgar humor you've ever heard, making it seem like you literally had no leg to stand on“Field says she doesn't”Thought notes“As an actor, but what the director did to Roberts was just”mean.”

Our opinion on Julia Roberts' mistreatment of steel magnolias

There was an imbalance of power back then

There is an inherent power imbalance between directors and actors on film sets, and nowhere is this more evident than on set Steel magnolias. At the time, Ross was known for directing the 1977s The turning pointreceived Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Picture and went on to direct the film in 1984, a major box office success Unbound. On the other hand: 1989 Steel magnolias was one of Roberts' first creditsalthough she quickly made a name for herself by receiving the first Oscar nomination of her career, signaling to future collaborators that she was not one to be messed with.

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Julia Roberts' performance is still outstanding

For his stage play Steel magnoliasRobert Harling was largely inspired for the story by his sister Susan Harling Robinson, who died in 1985 from complications of type 1 diabetes. The play first premiered off-Broadway in 1987 before he adapted it into a feature film in 1989. In the film Julia Roberts plays Shelby, the character based on Susan. Steel magnolias premiered to mixed reviews, although Roberts' performance was widely praised and earned her her first Oscar nomination.

Steel magnolias Reviews represent a mixture of praise and criticismThe mix of humor and emotional depth is particularly noteworthy. Many praise the strong ensemble cast, particularly the outstanding performances of Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine and Roberts, who bring charm and warmth to their roles. While some critics feel that the film balances humor and heartfelt moments well, others argue that it uses too much sentimentality in its cinematic adaptation and loses intimacy, occasionally leaning toward superficial or over-the-top performances. With a wealth of comedy and lively characters, Steel magnolias arguably becomes more powerful and effective when it turns into full melodrama at the end.

After its release in 1989 Steel magnolias was also a huge box office success, With a worldwide total of $96.8 million, the film's budget of $15 million was more than sixfold. The film was also released on VHS in 1990 and on DVD in 2000, grossing an additional $40 million, bringing its total to $135 million. Over the years, there have been numerous attempts to adapt Robert Harling's stage play for various media and build on this success, including a 1990 CBS sitcom pilot set after the events of the film and a Lifetime remake of the 1990 film 2012 with an all-black cast.

Needless to say, neither was able to build on that success, as the pilot wasn't picked up to series and the Lifetime remake had little impact. Over 30 years later Steel magnolias is still considered an early proof of Julia Roberts' talentwho would later become one of the most financially powerful stars in Hollywood. Despite the harsh treatment she faced on set Steel magnoliasRoberts' performance marked a breakthrough, earning her her first Oscar nomination and paving the way for three more Pretty woman, Erin BrockovichAnd August: Osage County.

Source: Diversity

Steel Magnolias is a made-for-television remake of the 1989 original featuring an all-African American cast including Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad and Alfre Woodard. The film tells the story of a group of Southern women who meet in a beauty salon in a small town in Louisiana, where they share their lives, their laughter and their tears as they navigate love, loss and life's challenges together.

director

Kenny Leon

Release date

October 7, 2012

Studio(s)

Sony Pictures Television Studios, Lifetime

writer

Sally Robinson, Robert Harling

Pour

Queen Latifah, Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad, Jill Scott, Dola Rashad

Duration

90 minutes

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