There are Hollywood couples we wish got together, and those we're happy stayed friends.
But every once in a while, there comes a duo we can't decide on.
Like Julia Roberts and George Clooney.
Roberts and Clooney both became household names in the ’90s.
Both actors rose to fame around the same time due to their connection to director Steven
Soderbergh.
According to the two stars, working with him elevated their statuses and reputations in
Hollywood.
“We both had great changes in our careers and our lives because of Steven Soderbergh,
quite honestly,” George told Vanity Fair in 2014 in a joint interview with Julia.
In the late ’80s, Roberts made her debut with Mystic Pizza and Steel Magnolias.
But her real showstopper was using her contagious smile, becoming internationally recognizable
and universally beloved in the rom-com Pretty Woman.
This was her first of many romantic comedies.
Her bright personality made Julia especially lovable to fans of the genre.
In 2001, she won an Oscar for her dramatic role in Soderbergh’s 'Erin Brockovich'.
Over the next few years, the actress went on to have several off-screen romances with
co-stars, such as Jason Patric, Liam Neeson and Matthew Perry.
Roberts was quickly becoming a Hollywood legend, and Clooney was working his way up to stardom
by working on television.
In 1994, he began his run on 'ER' as Dr. Doug Ross.
By 1999, Clooney was a bonafide movie star who had outgrown ER.
But after the failure of Batman & Robin, in which he played Batman, the actor became more
careful about choosing roles.
His first film with Soderbergh, 1998’s 'Out of Sight', co-starring Jennifer Lopez, would
set the tone for the next decade of the star's film career.
In the early years of their rising stardom, both Roberts and Clooney were known for their
irresistible charm and their ability to have chemistry with anyone.
But it wasn’t until the two met and appeared on-screen as romantic interests that the world
realized the blessing that is George Clooney and Julia Roberts as friends.
Julia has had a complicated relationship with other celebrities, but this isn't the case
with Hollywood prankster extraordinaire, Clooney.
The two actors say they were aware of each other for years but did not meet until 2000.
This was when they had a meeting at the Chateau Marmont to discuss 'Ocean’s Eleven' with
Soderbergh.
"I thought he's going to be a pal," the 55-year-old told People Magazine about the first time
she met the Gravity actor.
Because of their electrical energy in the 2001 comedic thriller film, people assumed
that they were friends even longer than that.
“We had been long-reported best friends but had never met before,” the 'Notting
Hill' actress told Vanity Fair in 2014.
Before the stars cemented their friendship in tabloids and the press, many speculated
that Roberts and Clooney had been romantically involved.
Especially, because of how well the two got along off-screen.
Roberts and Clooney’s obvious connection was a major talking point during the 'Ocean’s
Eleven' press tour.
In their recent interview with Access Hollywood, the 'Oceans 11' actors were asked if they
ever had a "no-dating policy" to protect their working relationship.
"To not date each other?
I don't think we needed to state it," Julia laughed.
"It seemed the right thing to do.
They then jokingly flirted with each other, which made the 'Pretty Woman' star mimic vomiting.
"Well, you don't have to react that bad," Clooney said.
But it hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows in this friendship.
There's an unavoidable consequence to good acting.
Being able to make a whole audience excited with a glance has its cost.
And that is romance rumors.
In June 2001, the actress's three-plus-year relationship with actor Benjamin Bratt ended.
An ABC News report stated that the romance ended due to Bratt’s jealousy of Roberts’s
relationship with Clooney.
“The tabs say that Bratt, 37, gave 33-year-old Julia the boot after hearing how chummy she
had gotten with 40-year-old Clooney on the set of Ocean’s 11.”
The same report said that Roberts and Clooney put on a steamy show on the dance floor at
the Ocean’s Eleven afterparty Even though the 'Eat Pray Love' actress was
heartbroken over her breakup with Bratt, she still managed to bounce back and find someone
to expand her family with.
Roberts met her husband, cinematographer Daniel Moder,while filming The Mexican in 2000.
They married after Moder finalized his divorce in 2002.
They have three children together.
"Roberts' husband Danny Moder and I are great friends and love each other," Clooney said
in an Access Hollywood TV show interview.
"What's fun is it's really like a family," he added.
Throughout most of their friendship, the Batman lead remained a bachelor, with some girlfriends
here and there.
In 2013, George began dating humanitarian lawyer Amal Alamuddin and they married in
2014 and welcomed twins three years later.
That same year, at the BAFTA Awards, Julia presented
George with an honorary award and sang his praises.
In his acceptance speech, George said: "It’s very hard for me to be just straight nice
because she’ll get me later.
But she is just an amazing mother, an amazing wife and a great, great friend.
It’s really an honor to have her here.”
The Golden Globe winners have worked together three times between 2002 and 2021 — in 2002’s
'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' , in 'Ocean’s Twelve' , and in 2016’s 'Money Monster'.
Together, Julia Roberts and George Clooney can do anything, really.
They can make us believe they're in love.
They can have us on edge about a hostage situation.
But their greatest gift is pretending to hate each other.
This leads us to 'Ticket to Paradise'.
In the film, the two play divorced parents who hate each other but are united in their
hate for their daughter’s fiancé.
Other than seeing George and Julia's chemistry come to life once again, the most exciting
part about the film is that it's the actress's return to the silver screen.
Julia had taken a break from acting to focus on her family.
The friends also said that they have been waiting for the right script and the right
timing to do another film together.
In a red carpet interview with Variety, Roberts described 'Ticket to Paradise' as the first
story that did something really clever.
According to the actress, she and Clooney both received the scripts at the same time.
“And so it came into our energy together.
And it sounds so silly to say, but I read it and I said, ‘This only works with Geroge.’
He felt the same way," the Mystic Pizza star said.
The actor added that the characters' names were originally Georgia and Julian.
The Academy Award winner hadn't done a romantic comedy since 'One Fine Day'.
He told the times, "I haven't succeeded like Julia has in that forum — but I read it
and thought, 'Well, if Jules is up for it, I think this could be fun.'"
Clooney brought his wife, Amal Clooney, and their kids, Ella and Alexander, to Australia
while filming 'Ticket To Paradise'.
Roberts came alone and stayed in the house beneath them.
She ended up spending a lot of time with the Clooney family.
The actress credited George and his family for saving her from "complete loneliness and
despair" during the filming process.
In an interview with The New York Times, Julia discussed quarantining with the Clooneys saying,
"We were in a bubble, and it's the longest I've ever been away from my family.
I don't think I've spent that much time by myself since I was 25."
Roberts's family eventually made it to Australia, but they had to fly into Sydney and quarantine
for two weeks by themselves before she could see them.
The crew started filming in Hamilton Island, an area filled with wild birds.
The 'ER' alum told The Times, "I would come out in the early mornings and be like, 'Caa-caa,'
and Julia would come out and be like, 'Caa-caa.'
And then we'd bring her down a cup of coffee.
She was Aunt Juju to my kids," The 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' lead said in an interview with Stephen
Colbert.
Even though the two stars have sparkling chemistry when acting together, their friendship has
made it difficult to play lovers after all these years.
George and Julia have often described their relationship as that of a brother and sister.
It was for the New York Times, where they discussed their first on-screen kiss for the
forthcoming movie.
It reportedly took six months to get right according to the Batman star.
“Yeah.
I told my wife, ‘It took 80 takes,’” the actor told the publication.
The reason George and Julia's friendship works well is the result of many factors.
They just so happen to have similar personalities, similar careers at a similar time, and the
same sense of humor.
Kaitlyn Dever, the pair's onscreen daughter in 'Ticket to Paradise', told ET Online, "Their
friendship is something that is so sweet.
They love making each other laugh ,and it's the best thing to be around."
Even though some secretly wish that George Clooney and Julia Roberts coupled up, we can't
help but adore the playful friendship they have.