Julia Roberts Felt Like a 'Selfish Brat' before Meeting Husband of 19 Years & Having 3 Kids

Julia Roberts admitted that becoming a wife and mother had changed her for the better. From being selfish, Roberts learned to put her family before herself and consider the circumstances of the people around her.

Julia Roberts was born into a family of talented people in the entertainment industry. However, her success in Hollywood was unparalleled to others. The star had her big break in the 1988 films "Mystic Pizza" and "Satisfaction," where viewers instantly fell in love with her beauty.

In 1990, Roberts starred in the movie "Pretty Woman" for which she received an Oscar nomination and won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Actress. Her other notable films include "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "Notting Hill."

ROBERTS' SUCCESSFUL CAREER

While many opportunities were presented before her, Roberts was always selective in accepting roles. "Remember why you're doing what you're doing," she said. "That's your anchor. Cultivate your taste and decision making."

Because of her mindset, she was left without work for a few years while in her 20s. Roberts turned down offers to participate in productions and instead waited for something good to come around. She previously shared:

"I just wait to see what comes along, as opposed to looking for it. It makes it fun and organic. There's almost an unfair bar that a script has to attain for me to say, 'I'm going to drop everything for this.'"

After years in the industry, Roberts takes pride in what she has accomplished and admits she wants to do more to impress her husband and children. Even age is just a number for the go-getter actress, who at 50 said, "We're still moving forward, aren't we?"

Although Roberts seems to be the perfect role model, she admitted that she wasn't always as selfless.

Fortunately, she gets a lot of support from her husband, Danny Moder, with whom she worked together on several films. Moder works behind the scenes as a cinematographer, known for "The Normal Heart," which landed him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

MEETING MODER

The couple first met on the set of the 2000 film "The Mexican." There was an instant attraction between them at that time, but both were in committed relationships. Roberts was together with actor Benjamin Bratt, while Moder was married to makeup artist Vera Steimberg.

Eventually, the "Notting Hill" star ended things with Bratt, and Moder divorced his wife, allowing the couple's happily ever after to begin. Roberts claimed that they fixed their problems separately, which allowed them to "fall in love with each other and be together."

Steimberg, however, painted a different picture and pointed at Roberts for ruining her marriage. According to Moder's first wife, Roberts courted her husband while they were still married, and for this, she will "never be able to forgive Julia – she's a husband stealer."

In 2000, Roberts and Moder tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony with 60 guests. Four years later, the couple welcomed twins, Phinnaeus and Hazel, and in less than three years, Roberts gave birth to their third child, Henry. Previously, Roberts revealed that her daughter cut and donated her hair to Wigs for Kids.

"That's a big deal for a girl who's about to be 13 and has this cascading blonde hair that gets commented on a lot. But she's so good and brave. She sees it as something else," she said in an interview, as told by Yahoo.

Given their private lifestyle, not much is known about Roberts' kids. However, fans sometimes get a glimpse of them through Moder's Instagram posts, and it seems his boys are avid skateboard and surfing fans.

ROBERTS ON BEING SELFISH

Although Roberts seems to be the perfect role model, she admitted that she wasn't always as selfless. "I was my priority," she said of her younger self. "A selfish little brat running around making films." Everything changed when she met Moder. Roberts added:

"When I think about what makes my life my life, and makes sense and just [shines] inside of me, it's him. Everything has come from that for me."

Last year, the couple celebrated their 19th anniversary with a rare Instagram photo together. "19 years. Just getting started!" Roberts captioned the post alongside a snap of her with her arm around Moder."

Previously, the "Steel Magnolias" star revealed the secret to her long-lasting marriage – kissing. She also said that working together helped in their relationship. "It was nice at times that we got to go to work together and then come home together," she said.

Another factor that keeps the couple together is prioritizing their children. When their kids were still small, Roberts and Moder relocated from Los Angeles to San Francisco. A friend of the couple revealed that Roberts wanted her kids to experience living in a city where "no one cares who your mom is."

MOTHERHOOD, AS TOLD BY ROBERTS

Roberts has been enjoying motherhood and raising her children away from the spotlight. She previously shared that honesty is essential in their family so the kids would "feel like they still have a voice for the things they believe in."

One activity she enjoys with children is going school-supply shopping for pencil cases, lunch boxes, binders, and the like materials. "I always loved back-to-school shopping," she said. "I realize that I still love it."

Becoming a wife and mother has undoubtedly changed Roberts for the better, as other women would. There's no doubt that her kids will grow up to be well-rounded people.