Julia Roberts

One of the few bankable female stars of the 1990s and 2000s, actress Julia Roberts remained an iconic figure whose assured, winsome performances underscored her undeniable public appeal. Following a breakthrough role in "Mystic Pizza" (1988), Roberts earned critical acclaim and award recognition for her portrayal of the ill-fated Shelby in "Steel Magnolias" (1989). But it was her performance as a hooker with a heart of gold opposite Richard Gere in "Pretty Woman" (1990) that propelled Roberts into the upper tier of Hollywood actresses. Roberts quickly became one of the highest paid stars - male or female - in the world, eventually raking in $25 million for a film. Equally in the limelight for a torrent of high-profile and often rocky romances, Roberts managed to maintain an output of projects that consistently topped the box office. While sometimes accused of lacking the chops to be a serious actress, she erased all doubts with her Oscar-winning performance in "Erin Brockovich" (2001), as well as other acclaimed roles in "Eat Pray Love" (2010), "August: Osage County" (2013) and "Ben Is Back" (2018), all of which underscored Roberts' unique ability to be both a huge box office draw and an accomplished performer.