London:
Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts refused to meet Eat Pray Love author Liz Gilbert before beginning to film the movie based on the book because shedidn't want to "imitate" her.
The 42-year-old actress, who portrays the author inthe film of the same name, wanted to make sure she made thecharacter her own before getting to know Gilbert, reportedContactmusic.
"The director Ryan Murphy had a relationship with herthrough pre-production but I felt it was important for me inportraying her to go with my instincts, to get enough filmingdone that I was already on a course by the time I met her,"said Roberts.
"She's a lovely person. She has great way of talkingand very specific mannerisms, but I didn't want to imitateher," said the Pretty Woman star.
However, Roberts admitted she enjoyed the opportunityto play Gilbert because she was so "complex".
"Liz goes through a wide range of emotions, as you'dexpect because the story covers a year of her life, so it wasa great opportunity to play a complex and fascinatingcharacter. Her journey is very specific and very visual in away that's appealing, but it's also a universal story that canapply to anybody," she said.
The 42-year-old actress, who portrays the author inthe film of the same name, wanted to make sure she made thecharacter her own before getting to know Gilbert, reportedContactmusic.
"The director Ryan Murphy had a relationship with herthrough pre-production but I felt it was important for me inportraying her to go with my instincts, to get enough filmingdone that I was already on a course by the time I met her,"said Roberts.
"She's a lovely person. She has great way of talkingand very specific mannerisms, but I didn't want to imitateher," said the Pretty Woman star.
However, Roberts admitted she enjoyed the opportunityto play Gilbert because she was so "complex".
"Liz goes through a wide range of emotions, as you'dexpect because the story covers a year of her life, so it wasa great opportunity to play a complex and fascinatingcharacter. Her journey is very specific and very visual in away that's appealing, but it's also a universal story that canapply to anybody," she said.
