While filming alongside Ewan McGregor, Julia Roberts looked completely transformed — almost unrecognizable from her iconic role as Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman (1990).
The 44-year-old actress appeared makeup-free and dressed in plain, unflattering clothes as she shot emotionally charged scenes for August: Osage County in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
Julia, who shares three children with cinematographer husband Daniel Moder, wore a simple white shirt layered over a cream top and loose-fitting blue jeans. Her long brunette hair was left plainly styled for her portrayal of Barbara Weston — a woman facing family turmoil after the disappearance of her alcoholic father.
In a particularly intense moment, McGregor’s character Bill Fordham holds Barbara’s hand as they walk to a dock to identify a body. When confronted with the corpse, Julia’s character breaks down in tears and clings to McGregor for comfort.
Despite the heartbreaking scene, Julia was later seen laughing and joking between takes, lightening the mood on set. She was joined by co-star Julianne Nicholson, who seemed to share a funny observation with the group.
Both actresses adopted understated, modest costumes for their roles. Nicholson wore a blue shirt with brown flared pants, her hair pulled back into a ponytail.
August: Osage County also features performances by Benedict Cumberbatch as Little Charles Aiken, and Meryl Streep as Violet Weston.
According to IMDb, Renée Zellweger and Andrea Riseborough were considered for roles in the film. Though Riseborough was initially cast, she had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts, and Juliette Lewis took over the role of Karen Weston. Chloë Moretz auditioned for Jean Fordham but ultimately lost the part to Abigail Breslin.
Despite the heavy subject matter, the cast shared moments of levity, as seen when they laughed together while filming with Julianne Nicholson.
