Trust Julia Roberts to embrace any role fully, but there is one thing that the actress will not be comfortable with: guns.
Back on the big screen with "Secret in Their Eyes," Roberts plays Jess, whose life was turned upside down when her daughter was murdered. It's been 13 years since her daughter's death, but new information has come up, giving Jess, an FBI investigator, her partner Ray (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and District Attorney Claire (Nicole Kidman) a lead that could help them close the case once and for all.
As Jess's line of work meant she would have to deal with guns on a regular basis, Roberts had to film some scenes using a gun. Of course, the actress used fake guns, but that didn't make a lot of difference to her.
"I realized when I have a gun in my hand I am really unhappy," she said, pointing out that it's funny that it was when she was in full uniform with a gun in her hand that she didn't feel like she had an inner tough girl.
Taking on an action-packed role is unusual for Roberts (she is dubbed America's sweetheart, after all) but the actress said playing Jess was a refreshing challenge for her. She always saw the character foremost as a mother, a person who put family first, she added.
Despite being a thriller, "Secret in Their Eyes" is a "home is where the heart is" type of story for Roberts, which is what allowed her to connect so quickly with the script. There was something different and intriguing about Jess, yet she was also somewhat familiar, letting Roberts relate with the character.
"Secret in Their Eyes" is due to hit theaters on Nov. 20, opening on the same day as "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2," which made some question its studios' strategy in getting the film to succeed. There's also the fact that it didn't make its rounds in the fall film festivals and didn't offer press screenings until recently, despite having a great cast.
Could it be out to entice the adults while the kids watch the final installment of "The Hunger Games"?
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