I’ll never forget when Julia Roberts said that! It perfectly captures how she felt facing that iconic role – just a regular person wondering if she could pull it off. It really resonated with me, that simple vulnerability before becoming a superstar.
I remember hearing that Julia Roberts almost didn’t take the part in Notting Hill! Apparently, she had some reservations about playing the lead role opposite Hugh Grant back in 1999. It’s wild to think how different things could have been if she’d decided against it.
Julia Roberts recently recalled her initial reaction to being offered the role in Notting Hill. In an interview with Deadline published on January 6th, she said she thought it was a terrible idea. She wondered how she could play a famous movie star and what would happen next, ultimately finding the premise ‘so stupid’.
The Academy Award-winning actress confessed that she grew to like the film once she read the script. It was written by Richard Curtis and tells the story of a movie star who falls in love with someone who owns a bookstore.
She recalled thinking it was both charming and hilarious, then admitting to herself, ‘Oh no!’ She later had lunch with Richard and producers Duncan Kenworthy and the wonderful Roger Michell, who sadly passed away.
Julia entered the meeting with the film’s team ready to decline the project. She was prepared to explain why it wasn’t a good fit for her and that she wouldn’t be participating.
Honestly, they were just incredibly delightful – charming, sweet, and genuinely funny! It was one of those moments where it really hit me – wow, this is actually going to work out. It felt amazing!
After joining the project, Julia Roberts – who has 21-year-old twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus, and an 18-year-old son, Henry, with her husband Danny Moder – described filming the movie as a wonderful time.
The actress, who starred in August: Osage County, said they all had a wonderful experience making the film. She praised the perfect casting and the strong relationships among the cast and crew, adding that director Roger Michell had a clear vision and the film consistently delivered on its promise.
Plus, how could she forget Alec Baldwin’s cameo? “That’s brilliant casting.”
Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE everything I’ve discovered about Notting Hill! Apparently, Julia Roberts almost didn’t even do the movie! Can you imagine?! Over the years, so many amazing little secrets have come out about the making of this perfect film, and I’m so excited to share them all with you. Get ready to fall even more in love with it!
Notting Hill was already becoming a popular area when the film was made, but as Hugh Grant famously said, the movie made it much, much more fashionable.
The house on Westbourne Park Road, with its distinctive blue door leading to Will’s apartment, was once owned by Richard Curtis, and it quickly became a popular spot for fans of the film to visit.
The original door became covered in so many signatures that it had to be taken down and sold at auction by Christie’s. Thankfully, a new blue door now stands in its place, painted that color by the current owner.
The scenes inside Will’s apartment weren’t filmed in a real home because Curtis’s actual house – a renovated chapel – was much larger and more impressive, featuring a courtyard garden and a spacious 1,000-square-foot living area. Aside from a few outdoor shots, the majority of the movie was filmed on a detailed set built about an hour from Notting Hill.
As a lifestyle enthusiast, I often get asked about the iconic bookstore from ‘Notting Hill’. While the actual shop at 142 Portobello Road isn’t really The Travel Book Co. like you see in the movie, the spirit of that charming bookstore is definitely still alive and well in the area! It’s more of a vibe than a specific location now, but it adds to the magic of the neighborhood.
The movie was filmed at the location of what was once Nicholls Antique Arcade, which was later replaced by a furniture store named Gong.
Today, the location is home to Notting Hill Gift Shop, easily recognized by its large blue awning and a sign that says The Travel Book Shop.
Because the fandom is real.
For years, a bookstore named The Travel Bookshop was located on Blenheim Crescent, just around the corner from the famous Portobello Road (TripSavvy has even created a Notting Hill walking tour highlighting it). Though it closed its doors in 2011, The Notting Hill Bookshop now occupies that same spot.
They probably do have some Dickens, or the new John Grisham.
In 1999, Anna revealed to TopMob News that some scenes showing her at red carpets and award shows actually featured real footage of Julia Roberts from previous years. This included clips from the 1998 BAFTA Awards, where she attended with her My Best Friend’s Wedding co-star, Rupert Everett.
According to Roberts, the scenes meant to show how famous her character is are a confusing mix of her own experiences and those of Anna’s.
Honestly, I was so relieved that the part where Anna opens Will’s door to a swarm of paparazzi was all made up. Apparently, the director, Grant, described the scene with all those ‘photographers’ photographing other photographers as a “Fellini moment,” but thankfully it never actually happened. I was really thankful for that – it would have been chaos!
Roberts chuckled, saying it’s always amusing to play up a story. “I’ve never walked into a room to find 500 people waiting,” he said, “so it’s definitely a fun experience.”
Curtis was surprised by the opening scene, which heavily featured moments from Julia Roberts’ real life as a celebrity. He recalled telling colleagues, “Wow, that’s the level of fame we’re working with!” He explained that it was easy to forget Roberts was both the approachable, friendly woman they knew and the incredibly famous, almost inaccessible figure the public had seen for a decade. It was a striking realization that she embodied both of those personas – the down-to-earth person and the untouchable icon seen in countless photos.
Both Hugh Grant and Everett auditioned for the lead role in the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love, which later won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Initially, Julia Roberts was set to play Violet alongside Daniel Day-Lewis, but when Day-Lewis didn’t commit to the project, Roberts also decided not to participate.
In the end, everything worked out well. Gwyneth Paltrow received an Oscar and had great on-screen chemistry with Joseph Fiennes, and Julia Roberts won her Oscar two years later for her role in Erin Brockovich.
Hugh Grant recently told Vanity Fair about his audition for Shakespeare in Love with Julia Roberts. He described himself as a struggling, out-of-work actor at the time and admitted he was so nervous being in the same room as Roberts that he awkwardly missed the chair when he sat down. He ended up sitting on the armrest and then internally debated whether to point out his mistake or play it off as if it was intentional, like he was a bit of an eccentric character who always sat that way.
When Hugh Grant started filming Notting Hill, he described feeling anxious, explaining that the initial nervousness you experience when meeting someone often stays with you. He admitted, “I was prepared to be scared, and honestly, that feeling never really went away.”
Roberts didn’t go unaffected by the Hugh Grantness of it all, either, however.
I was honestly a little intimidated by Hugh, and also being the only American in the cast added to that feeling, I told TopMob News. Everyone just seemed so much more articulate. The English have a way of making even simple statements sound incredibly charming and interesting. Once I realized I was the only one with a noticeably American accent, I was able to finally relax and not worry about it.
In 1999, Hugh Grant described how his quiet life running a shop in a little-known part of London was unexpectedly turned upside down when the world’s most famous and beautiful actress walked in, leading to a romance, he told TopMob News.
So…it sounds as though Roberts walked in.
Roberts clearly recognized the similarities, but she was actually surprised by how much she differed from Anna.
I went into the project thinking I’d naturally know what to do, but the circumstances were actually very detailed and unique. Because of that, the character made specific choices, and I didn’t always find myself agreeing with them. I think it’s because we’re in the same field that I initially expected us to approach things the same way.
However, we didn’t. I had to let go of my own pride and preconceived notions to portray the character authentically.
Roberts explained to Vanity Fair what specifically troubled her about the character: Anna’s difficult relationship with the media, stemming from nude photos taken before her rise to fame that were later leaked.
In a 1999 interview, Roberts explained she strongly disagreed with the other person’s actions and how they handled the entire situation. She said she wouldn’t have found herself in that mess and disapproved of their reactions and overall approach to it.
Roberts originally didn’t have any interest in playing a movie star.
“How boring,” she recalled telling her agent. “How tedious—what a stupid thing for me to do.”
She didn’t plan on taking the role until she read the script by Curtis, the writer known for hits like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Blackadder, and Spitting Image. That’s when she thought, “Okay, I’m in—I’m going to make this movie.”
According to Grant, the movie is inspired by a true story.
The actor shared with TopMob a story Curtis won’t publicly acknowledge, but confided to him while intoxicated. Apparently, a regular friend of Curtis’s met a very well-known woman while at Harrods and ended up bringing her back to his apartment in Notting Hill, leading to a complicated situation. They continued to have an affair whenever the woman visited London, and this experience became the inspiration for Curtis’s script. However, Curtis is deeply worried about revealing the identity of the famous woman and refuses to share the full story with anyone.
Will nearly injured himself trying to climb the gate into the Rosemead Gardens—there’s a significant drop on the other side. Luckily, he tripped instead, playfully saying “Whoopsie-daisies!” which made Anna laugh.
Honestly, they wouldn’t have had a chance even trying to get in during the day! This garden is part of a beautiful estate, and it’s special because local residents actually take care of it – they’re the only ones who have the keys, so it’s really well looked after and private.
Emily Mortimer, known for her role in The Newsroom, played the character simply credited as “The Perfect Girl,” who briefly dates Will after his relationship with Anna falls apart. Interestingly, despite only having one scene, the actress arrived on set covered in hives – a result of an allergic reaction to a suit she’d found at a thrift store.
Mortimer described the experience as a nightmare, recalling on PeopleTV’s Couch Surfing in 2018 that whenever he felt nervous while acting, he would break out in hives. He also noted that one side of his face still has a slightly puffy appearance, resembling a chipmunk’s cheeks.
But surely Grant, with all his charming ways, eased the tension?
Mortimer cringed, saying everyone had been really embarrassed by the situation. It was incredibly awkward—he felt like people were thinking, ‘Who is this girl? She only has one scene, and she’s overacting!’—and no one would speak to him. He described the experience as strange, admitting he felt odd, shy, and deeply mortified.
Apparently, his co-star had a habit of playfully throwing fruit at him, either during or right before filming scenes, as a way to distract him, according to Grant in an interview with TopMob News.
Roberts agreed, explaining that he threw so much fruit at the person that the situation became absurd and pointless.
Grant said Roberts wisely paced herself during rehearsals, saving her best performance for filming, while he always gave it his all to make a good impression on the crew. As a result, he felt she shone on camera and he appeared lackluster.
Rhys Ifans gained recognition for his role as Spike, the messy and laid-back roommate of Will. A memorable moment came when the Welsh actor playfully showed off his physique to the paparazzi who were gathered outside, waiting for Anna.
Ifans apparently went quite method with the role.
You know, when we were filming at Shepperton Studios a while back, the daily commute from London was just too much. So, I did something a little unconventional – I pitched a tent at a nearby campsite! It was hilarious because every morning, a huge limousine would pull up to pick me up right from my tent. The campsite owner was completely baffled, and honestly, I think he assumed I was some eccentric millionaire! It definitely made things interesting.
And, “I would bathe occasionally, when I remembered to.”
Let me tell you, one of the biggest challenges during filming was the shoes they found for him! He actually told TopMob News back in ’99 that they had this unbelievably awful smell – he described it as coming from the darkest depths and said it actually made people cry. Seriously! By the end of the day, the rest of us just couldn’t take it anymore. We begged them to get rid of those trainers and practically demanded they be cleansed – we joked they needed an exorcism! It was that bad.
Director Roger Michell, who had previously worked with Rhys Ifans in a stage production of Under Milk Wood before Notting Hill, described Ifans to the Telegraph in 2006 as a man of charming contrasts. He said Ifans was both awkward and graceful, and despite being a bit rough around the edges and proudly Welsh, he was also handsome and likeable.
Roger Michell, who died in 2021, continued to collaborate with Rhys Ifans, directing him in the 2004 film Enduring Love and in a 2017 stage production of Mood Music.
The Ritz Hotel in London, known for its luxury, almost never permits filming within its walls. However, they made an exception for Anna’s press event, where Will playfully acted as a reporter for the magazine Horse & Hound.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following Anna’s career closely, and I’ve noticed something interesting. Despite her incredible range, her last two films – one set in the vastness of space and the other deep underwater in a submarine – surprisingly didn’t feature any animal companions! It’s a bit unusual, but it definitely makes you wonder what her next project will hold.
Mischa Barton had already been in movies before, but this role as a 12-year-old actress was the first of two that year to reach a large audience.
The other film was The Sixth Sense, released in August. Barton plays Kyra, the frightening little girl who hides under the bed and terrifies Haley Joel Osment.
The 12-year-old actress was also appearing in the major science fiction film Helix, which was her 22nd movie role, as she shared with Will from Horse & Hound magazine.
Alec Baldwin made a quick appearance as Jeff, Anna’s boyfriend, who unexpectedly shows up in London. However, by the end of the film, it’s suggested he’s already moved on, and the gossip about him proves to be accurate.
In his 2017 memoir, Nevertheless, Alec Baldwin remembered that by the late 1990s, he had taken on several leading and supporting roles in films and television, but none of them brought him significant recognition, though he enjoyed working on each one.
The main appeal of Notting Hill, according to one person, was simply being on set with Julia Roberts for a day, in London – sharing the same space and air as such a talented actress.
Alec Baldwin and Julia Roberts were originally scheduled to appear together in Ryan Murphy’s 2014 HBO film, The Normal Heart, but Baldwin ultimately decided not to participate. However, Roberts remains a fan of his work. In a 2017 interview on EW Radio, she admitted she’d always been too nervous to host Saturday Night Live, but expressed her willingness to do it alongside Baldwin, saying she’d happily be his comedy partner for skits.
Emma Chambers, best known for her role as the lovable and eccentric Honey in the sitcom, sadly passed away in 2018 at the age of 53. This photo shows her with Hugh Bonneville, who later became famous as the Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey. In this image, Bonneville plays Bernie, a somewhat clueless stockbroker.
Grant shared the sad news of Emma Chambers’ passing on Twitter, describing her as a funny, kind, and incredibly talented actress.
James Dreyfus, known for his role as Martin in the show, shared his sadness on Twitter after hearing about Emma Chambers’ passing. He described her as a wonderfully talented and uniquely funny person, expressing his grief that she died so young, and sending his condolences to her family.
As a huge fan, I was so saddened to hear about the passing of a truly wonderful talent. Richard Curtis, who also penned some of the most memorable moments for Dawn French’s character in The Vicar of Dibley, shared with the Telegraph just how special she was. He described her as not just a fantastic comedy performer and skilled actress, but a genuinely kind, funny, and unique person. He even mentioned how she held her own beautifully working alongside incredibly talented actors like Dawn French and Julia Roberts – a testament to her incredible ability!
Film producer Jonathan Sothcott announced the sad news of Emma Chambers’ passing on Twitter. He remembered her fondly, noting she was best known for her role in The Vicar of Dibley but also made a memorable impact in Notting Hill. She was only 53 years old.
Anna playfully quotes actress Rita Hayworth – “They go to bed with Gilda, they wake up with me” – when she wakes up with Will in the morning.
Anna explains to Will – though it seems unlikely his intellectual nature would mean he hadn’t heard of it – that the 1940s actress Gilda represented a feeling: men were captivated by an illusion, and disappointed when they faced the truth.
And it turns out Roberts didn’t cherish every word Curtis wrote for her.
Although she acknowledged Richard’s talent, she admitted to Vanity Fair in 1999 that she strongly disliked delivering a particular line. She described it as incredibly grating and said she didn’t agree with the sentiment behind it at all.
We are not the only ones who wondered how it all turned out for Anna and Will.
In April 2019, Curtis mentioned to the Mirror that he planned to discuss the idea of reuniting the band with Julia. He’d previously brought back casts for short sequels to Love Actually and Four Weddings and a Funeral as part of Britain’s Red Nose Day, and both were very popular with audiences.
Hugh Grant seemed doubtful about a sequel, telling Her magazine in 2018 that he couldn’t envision a compelling storyline. He questioned whether Will and Anna would still be living in Notting Hill, surrounded by teenage children, and pointed out that revisiting a love story often requires a separation and reconciliation, which would feel forced for a long-married couple in that setting.
In an October 2018 interview with ET, Roberts said she’s now more interested in playing the parents of the leads in romantic comedies, rather than the romantic leads themselves.
I reached a stage in my career where it seemed like I was distancing myself from romantic comedies, even though I genuinely love them – both watching and being in them. It wasn’t about getting older, but more about the fact that audiences sensed I’d experienced enough life to see through some of the tropes.
Well, we know that we’re here for another chapter of this romance.
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2026-01-07 00:49