Julia Roberts’ co-star remembers her being mistreated by the director on the set of Steel Magnolias. Directed by Herbert Ross, based on the 1987 play and adapted to the screen by Robert Harling, the 1989 film follows the close-knit bond between a group of women in a small Southern town and how they navigate the loss of one of their own. The movie stars Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Tom Skerritt, Dylan McDermott, Kevin J. O’Connor, and Sam Shepard.
In her new memoir The Wall of Life (via Variety), Shirley MacLaine remembered Julia Roberts being mistreated by director Herbert Ross on the set of Steel Magnolias. She says the director mistreated and was unfair to Roberts, and seemed threatened by her talent and beauty. Eventually, the rest of the cast collectively urged the director to stop his mistreatment of the young actress. Read MacLaine’s full comments below:
He did not treat her well, and he was so unfair to her. Everyone else could see how talented and beautiful she was, so we didn’t take it too well. She seemed to threaten Herb Ross’ sense of power. We told him to knock it off and to leave her alone.
What Shirley MacLaine’s Comments Mean For Julia Roberts’ Mistreatment On Steel Magnolias
They Corroborate Sally Field’s Recent Comments
Earlier this year, Sally Field also opened up about director Herbert Ross’ mistreatment of Julia Roberts while filming Steel Magnolias. In an interview, Field said the director was “very, very, very hard on Julia. If you ever talk to Julia, she’ll tell you.” Field continues, describing how the cast coalesced around the young Roberts, “We would all rally around Julia, because she was the baby. She was sort of the newcomer. And she was wonderful, and he just picked on her. It was awful.”
Our Take On Julia Roberts’ Mistreatment On Steel Magnolias
There Was A Power Imbalance At The Time
Read More About Steel Magnolias
Julia Roberts’ Performance Still Stands Out
For his stage play, Steel Magnolias, Robert Harling drew significant inspiration for the story from his sister, Susan Harling Robinson, who passed away in 1985 due to complications from type 1 diabetes. The play first premiered Off-Broadway in 1987 before he adapted it into a feature film in 1989. In the movie, Julia Roberts plays Shelby, the character based on Susan. Steel Magnolias premiered to mixed reviews, though Roberts’ performance was widely praised, earning her first Oscar nomination.