Julia Roberts to Receive Honorary César Award

Julia Roberts will receive an honorary César award at the upcoming 50th César Awards in Paris.

The Pretty Woman star will be honored at the gala event on Feb. 28, 2025 at the historic Olympia Hall in Paris. The ceremony will be broadcast live on Canal+.

“Julia Roberts is not only a movie star but also a cultural icon whose influence extends far beyond her performances,” the French film academy, which presents the Césars, said in a statement. “Off-screen, she is dedicated to philanthropic causes, serving as an ambassador for UNICEF and supporting numerous humanitarian efforts worldwide. An environmental advocate, she has lent her voice to documentaries about protecting the planet and actively campaigns for women’s rights.”

Roberts’ breakthrough as an actress came with Mystic Pizza in 1988 but it was her portrayal of Vivian Ward alongside Richard Gere in 1990’s Pretty Woman that made her a global superstar. She has had a string of hits —The Pelican Brief, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Closer, Noting Hill, Eat Pray Love — in her decades-long career, demonstrating an impressive range, from the ensemble action comedy of the Ocean’s Eleven franchise to the family drama of Ben Is Back. She’s picked up a total of four Oscar nominations, with one win, for best actress in 2001 for Erin Brockovich. More recently she’s added television to her repertoire, with roles in Amazon Prime’s anthology series Homecoming and alongside Sean Penn in Robbie Pickering’s Emmy-nominated limited series docudrama Gaslit, playing Watergate whistleblower Martha Mitchell.

Her next big-screen appearance is in Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming thriller After the Hunt.

Roberts joins an illustrious list of César honorees that include her Ocean’s Eleven co-star George Clooney, Penélope Cruz, Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett and Scarlett Johansson.