Julia Roberts: Not Having Surgery is a “Big Risk”

Julia Roberts says that not having a facelift was a “big risk” for her career. Photo: Getty Images. 

Birthday girl Julia Roberts has a thing or two to say about aging—and she’s not holding back. In a new interview with You magazine, the actress and Lancôme spokesperson says her surgery-free face is an anomaly in the entertainment industry. “By Hollywood standards, I guess I’ve already taken a big risk in not having had a facelift,” she says. “But I’ve told Lancôme that I want to be an aging model—so they have to keep me for at least five more years until I’m over 50.”

Related: What really matters about Renée Zellweger

Roberts’ comments come on the heels of Renée Zellweger’s recent public appearance, which left the world speculating about just which cosmetic procedures she’s had to make her look so different. Zellweger acknowledged the buzz, telling People, “I’m living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I’m thrilled that perhaps it shows.” (Notably, Roberts, who turns 47 today, also says that she’s happier as she approaches 50. “There’s a lightness to my life now—an airy quality of not taking things too seriously,” she says.)

Related: At 69, Helen Mirren signs a beauty deal

It’s interesting to note that Roberts and Zellweger are both Oscar winners who’ve stepped out of the spotlight in the past few years—and seem happier because of it. It’s impossible to know whether they’ve chosen to take a break for personal reasons or because Hollywood continues to lack meaty, smart, starring roles for women of their age. But if Roberts is right, looking younger is essential for actresses to land roles, even for bonafide movie stars like her. Then again, if an actress does have a little work done, she’s lambasted and mocked. Is there any way for women in Hollywood to thrive as they enter their 40s and beyond? Absolutely—but first, we’ve got to stop judging actresses by their faces alone.