This superstar has been with her cinematographer husband for over two decades, but their relationship hasn’t always been smooth. Early in their romance, the cinematographer’s ex-wife alleged that the movie star stole him and paid her off for a divorce.
This superstar is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood, and any man would be lucky to be with her. For some, they were fortunate to have been part of her romantic life, including Kiefer Sutherland, with whom she was briefly engaged, and her ex-husband, Lyle Lovett.
She was also linked to Liam Neeson, Dylan McDermott, Matthew Perry, and Jason Patric. However, none of these relationships worked, and in 2000, she found out why.
The superstar and her husband in Los Angeles in 2001. | Source: Getty Images
Meeting Her Husband
In 2000, the actress met her husband on the set of “The Mexican.” While she was working in front of the cameras, he was the man behind them.
The superstar and her husband take a walk with their dog in New York City, on November 24, 2002. | Source: Getty Images | Source: Getty Images
At the time, the actress was in a relationship with Benjamin Bratt, while her husband was wed to makeup artist Vera Steimberg. In a previous interview, she mentioned that meeting her husband marked a significant turning point in her life, changing it in an indescribably wonderful way.
Although they did not begin to date right away, the pair sorted out their lives and eventually separated from their respective partners. The cinematographer filed for divorce from his wife six months after meeting the actress but found difficulty as Steimberg refused to let go.
The actress said that meeting the cinematographer was finding her person, someone who made her realize how good life could truly get. She expressed that it was all filled with “comfort and terror.” “Terror because the person I want to impress most is looking right at me.” she reiterated.
As for all the rumors about how she landed her husband, the actress simply said people made many assumptions about her dating life, so this situation was no different. She added that people didn’t know anything about their relationship.
The superstar attends the Fourth Annual IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards in Hollywood, California, on March 25, 1989. | Source: Getty Images
During an interview with Oprah Winfrey, she clarified that she was not the one who drove a wedge between the cinematographer and his ex-wife. However, people targeted her because she was easy to blame.
The superstar after having lunch returns to the Morgan Hotel in New York City, on August 11, 1991. | Source: Getty Images
Still, Winfrey did not let the issue slide easily. She asked if she and the cinematographer were friends. The actress said they had been for a long time and that making a movie together brought them closer.
Regarding the start of their relationship, she confessed that falling in love was horrible because she feared losing a friend if things did not work out between them. Then came the question about his marriage, and if she knew of it, and how it felt to fall in love with someone who was married.
The superstar at the “Miss Firecracker” premiere in New York City, on April 25, 1989. | Source: Getty Images
The movie star again emphasized that it greatly impacted her, but the two ensured they sorted out their relationships before going any further. Winfrey still pushed on; she asked if the couple had fallen in love before they decided to be together.
The movie star attends the Screen Actors Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award Salute to Audrey Hepburn in Universal City, California, on January 10, 1993. | Source: Getty Images
The actress said “yes and no” because the first connection was all infatuation since they both knew it would not be realistic for them to be together. However, Winfrey asked about one of the actress’s subtle controversial fashion choices, which was believed to be a jab at the cinematographer’s ex-wife.
The actress was photographed wearing a shirt with the words “A Low Vera” printed on it. When asked about it, the actress said it was private, adding, “I stand by my T-shirt.”
The superstar in Hollywood in 2002. | Source: Getty Images
Eventually, the divorce happened, and the actress and the cinematographer began their romantic fairytale. The “Runaway Bride” star previously mentionedthat they fixed their problems separately, and “that’s the only reason we were able to ultimately fall in love with each other and be together.”
The cinematographer and the actress are seen in Los Angeles, California, on November 28, 2001. | Source: Getty Images
Since the two work in the film industry, they sometimes spend a long time apart. The actress revealed she would write a lot of letters, which is something she and her husband frequently did. In fact, she still keeps those letters, including the first one he ever wrote her which was seven pages long.
The cinematographer and the actress photographed in 2002. | Source: Getty Images
The actress also revealed a skill she learned on a movie set many years ago that helped with her loneliness: knitting. The actress said they had lonely meters, where they would compare their loneliness based on how much they knitted.
The superstar attends the “Crooklyn” premiere in New York City, on May 9, 1994. | Source: Getty Images
The Superstar Was Labelled as the “Husband Stealer”
However, the cinematographer’s wife would tell the story differently. According to Steimberg, the “Notting Hill” star courted her husband while he was still married.
As per reports, Steimberg said, she would never be able to forgive the actress. “She’s a husband stealer. It won’t last with her anyway. She will be looking for a new husband within a year. Danny has a roving eye, and he won’t change,” Steimberg declared.
An outlet reported that the actress allegedly placed Steimberg under immense pressure to sign the divorce papers until she gave in. Steimberg reportedlycalled the movie star “desperate” to have the cinematographer to herself even though the makeup artist did not want to give up on their marriage.
The superstar at the 73rd Academy Awards, March 25, 2001. | Source: Getty Images
Although the media painted the actress as the reason behind the end of the cinematographer’s marriage, she described the connection they shared as one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
The superstar and her husband are seen in Los Angeles, California, January 22, 2006. | Source: Getty Images
The “Pretty Woman” star raved about how much her husband changed her life. She said she went through life very selfish and only focused on making movies. But as soon as the cinematographer came, he shifted her priorities.
The superstar in 1994. | Source: Getty Images
The Start of Forever
The superstar in this story is Julia Roberts and her husband is cinematographer Danny Moder. Roberts might have gotten her happily ever after, but she reportedly paid Moder’s ex-wife $200,000 to let go of her spouse.
Regardless of what happened, Roberts and Moder ended up together and tied the knot in 2002. They have since kept their lives private, although some details of their relationship are known.
Danny Moder and Julia Roberts at the 3rd annual Sean Penn & Friends HELP HAITI HOME Gala benefiting J/P HRO presented by Giorgio Armani in Beverly Hills, California, on January 11, 2014. | Source: Getty Images
When the time came, Moder proposed with a modest emerald ring that cost a reported $4,000. Their wedding ceremony in Roberts’ Mexico ranch was also a surprise for those attending. Initially, the 60 guests thought they were attending an Independence Day Party.
The bride and groom kept their outfits simple as well. Roberts dressed in a pastel pink halter dress with pearls, beads, and hand-painted flowers decorating it. Meanwhile, Moder looked dapper in a red ruffled shirt and brown pants.
Roberts and Moder’s romantic life might have started on a dramatic foot, but the actress could not have been happier to share her life with her husband. After tying the knot, she said she was the happiest and most content ever.
During her conversation with Winfrey, she gushed about Moder allowing her to be her utmost self. Being married to him has also made her appreciate the intimate parts of her life that people never get to see because of her flashy Hollywood career.
This comes after Winfrey told her that she was one of the few big Hollywood stars to prove that it was possible to have a happy life with someone who did not have a life in the spotlight.
Life with Moder has been filled with immense purpose for Roberts. The actress even said, “I hope that there are people who agree that I have done some good, kind things in my life, but to really, ultimately, stand fully in a moment of realizing that I was born to love and to be the wife of this man.”
Raising Kids Together
In 2004, the couple welcomed twins, Phinnaeus and Hazel. Three years later, they had their third child, Henry. Since their family is very private, not much is known about the three children. However, Roberts would sometimes describe her kids from time to time.
In one interview, she called her only daughter “good and brave.” In May 2019, Danny Moder shared a glimpse of their youngest son doing a backflip on a trampoline. Henry is also a pro in skateboarding and can do tricks on a ramp.
Meanwhile, Phinnaeus is into surfing and has shown his athletic side the most. Like Henry, he is also an avid skater. Despite the fame, it seems the couple raised their children to be well-rounded individuals.
Daniel Moder, Julia Roberts, Kelly Slater, Phinnaeus Moder, Henry Daniel Moder, and Hazel Moder at the Launch of Outerknown on August 29, 2015 in Malibu, California | Source: Getty Images
According to the actress, she and her husband share the same philosophy on parenting and make a great team. She said, “You just don’t know these things until you are right there doing it. And we are so fortunate that there is harmony to the way we do things.”
In addition to the joy in her marriage, Roberts also loves being a mother. She referred to herself as a homemaker and said that was her full-time job when she was not working on movies, whether in her home in California, New Mexico, or New York.
Homemaking was not always rainbows and kisses, but it made her happy. She especially loved breakfast time with her youngest son, Henry, because that happened to be his favorite meal of the day, too.
Behind closed doors, Roberts’s children might not understand how big of a movie star she is. The actress said she told her children she was well-known but did not believe they would ever understand that part of her life.
Julia Roberts at the 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
For instance, when she told her kids that many people had seen her films, one of them asked if she was more famous than Taylor Swift.
That is probably because most of her days were spent being a soccer mom or doing school drop-offs. But being a homemaker is one of her dreams. “It is my dream come true. But it is not my only dream come true,” she confessed,
The mother of three admitted that raising children as someone famous was not easy, and for the most part, she and Moder do not know what it is like to grow up in this current day and age. However, as parents, they do their best to research and find the best ways to help their children navigate life.
Danny Moder and Julia Roberts in Los Angeles in 2012. | Source: Getty Images
Life Together
Over two decades later, Roberts and her husband are still living in marital bliss. “He truly, to this day, to this minute, is just my favorite human,” Roberts said. “We just really really like each other, and we just enjoy each other’s company.”
Julia Roberts at the Amazon Studios portion of the Summer 2018 TCA Press Tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 28, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California | Source: Getty Images
However, their life together did not go without rumors trying to take them apart. Over the years, there has been gossip about an apparent breakup between the couple. Sometimes, the couple comes across tabloid headlines preempting their divorce, and all they can do is shrug it off and laugh about it.
According to an insider, the pair gets by with the help of counseling. “They’re committed to staying together for the long haul, whatever it takes,” the source said.
Divorce does not seem to be in the books for Roberts and Moder. The couple recently celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary, and the actress shared a steamy picture of them kissing to commemorate the milestone.
