"Pretty doesn't mean stupid," declares Julia Roberts. She's praising Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Julia Stiles and Gennifer Goodwin, the beautiful young actresses with whom she costars in her newest movie, Mona Lisa Smile. But the same could be said of Roberts.

The Pretty Woman star commands $25 million a picture. More important -- in Hollywood, at least -- she wields the power to get films made and determines when and with whom she will work.

The Georgia-born actress has been around for so long and is so successful that is hard to believe she is only 36. She earned success early in her career by choosing roles wisely and not allowing herself to be pushed into projects she didn't want to do.

"She is absolutely the architect of her career," says Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Roberts' former agent, who is now her producing partner in the New York-based Red Om Films.

Text Courtesy: Columbia Pictures
Photo: Getty Images
Design: Uday Kuckian

Email this page to a friend