Julia Roberts – London Bound

Both Madonna and Gwyneth were attracted to it, now it seems Julia Roberts is the latest leading lady to be lured over to London to star on the stage and screen. Roberts, who is already heading to Britain for the filming of Ocean's Twelve in February will be looking to appear on a West End Stage when the shoot is completed. In an interview with The Telegraph, theatre impresario Duncan Weldon confirms that Julia had planned to star in the stage version of The Philadelphia Story, which lost its original leading lady Calista Flockhart back in April this year. But when Katharine Hepburn died, Roberts shyed away from the project over fears that '[Hepburn's] death would lead everybody to make comparison s between them. I don't think she felt she was ready for that sort of pressure,' Weldon explains. The impresario goes on to say that; 'What we have agreed now is that we will look for a play with a bit less profile for her in London.' Roberts' presence in the West End will be the latest in a long line of Hollywood talent lured over here by the promise of instant credibility, far from the risk of a dud closer to home on Broadway. However the actress should heed the critical mauling handed out recently to Friends star Matthew Perry and his on-stage companion Minnie Driver.