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These days, it’s kind of become a cliché to hate on Julia Roberts. She definitely lost some of her luster over the past five years or so, and when she does appear at some event or red carpet, she seems overwhelming and a little crazy. Like, she’s too loud or too drunk or too rude or too obscene or too much of an a–hole. It’s almost enough to make you forget that she was once the biggest movie star in the world. But some people haven’t forgotten, which is why she still gets cast in big movies, and still gets paid huge amounts of money for the “pleasure”. Valentine’s Day is one of those films – and I have to say this report shocked me. Judging from the trailer for the film, I assumed Julia had a genuine supporting part in a large ensemble cast. Turns out, not so much. She’s in the film for – count them – six minutes. The price tag for six minutes of Julia? $3 million dollars plus 3% of the gross of the film. Are you f-cking kidding me?
By now, it’s too late for our male readers: Your wife or girlfriend has already seen Those Billboards — the ones blaring the tagline, “From the Director of PRETTY WOMAN comes a day in the life of love,” with the Pretty Woman herself, Julia Roberts, nestled in the right atrium of a giant heart — and you have been quietly but firmly informed that “Oh-yes-you-will” be sitting through Valentine’s Day.
Vulture would like to give you an out by providing the news that Roberts is only in this giant ensemble piece for roughly six minutes. Surely that will stop the inexorable race to Moviefone, right? But who are we kidding: We — and Hollywood — know that such reality checks will not be nearly enough to keep rom-com-philes away.
New Line Cinema paid Roberts $3 million up front against 3 percent of the gross for what is little more than an extended cameo. That comes out to an astonishing $8,333 per second of screen time, or roughly $500,000 a minute. Verbally, it’s a minimum of $11,952 per spoken word.
Yet even that may turn out to be a bargain, considering the Pretty Woman imprimatur: That movie is practically a religious icon to any female who’s ever wept love-lorn into a pint of Ben & Jerry’s while wearing sweatpants, cursing men, and pantomiming other stereotypically estrogen-saturated chestnuts gleaned from years of watching movies much like Valentine’s Day. Eleven years ago, when Roberts and Marshall reteamed for Runaway Bride (albeit with Richard Gere, too), it grossed $309 million worldwide.
Insiders tell us that Roberts agreed to appear in the film as a favor to Marshall, who’d made her a star. After Roberts jumped in, casting the rest of the film was much easier, and Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Ashton Kutcher, Taylors Lautner and Swift, McSteamy and McDreamy et al signed on quickly. However, with the exception of Jamie Foxx (who we hear is a gross participant along with Marshall and Roberts), her co-stars were paid their usual quote, pro-rated to however many days they filmed. Since most, like Roberts, only worked three days or so, it seemed a fair and painless commitment, and New Line was able to make the film with a cavalcade of celebs for only $50 million. Now get going.
[From New York Magazine’s Vulture Column]
You know what bothers me more? That Gary Marshall, the other actors in the film, and the producers, agents and Hollywood types all thought Julia signing on to the film was some kind of “signal” that it was okay to sign on. Seriously? Does Julia have that kind of weight in Hollywood to this day? It’s a Gary Marshall romantic comedy, and it’s a week of work. Why wasn’t every agent in Hollywood trying to get their actors onto this film before and regardless of Dame Julia’s agreement to deign us with her screen presence for six whole minutes? Hollywood is run by idiots.
Julia at the LA premiere for ‘Valentine’s Day’ on February 8, 2010. Credit: Revolutionpix/Fame Pictures
Written by Kaiser
Posted in Disgusting, Julia Roberts, Money, Stupid
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32 Responses to “Julia Roberts got $500K per minute of screen time in ‘Valentine’s Day’”
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I very really criticize celebrities, or complain about how pampered their lives are. Infact I’m normally defending them against people who live their lives hating on others, but this makes me feel a bit ill.
Although my distain for this isn’t directed at Julia necessarily because if I was in that position I know I would take it. But 3 million for 6 minutes equals a pay check of 60 million is she was the lead of a two hour movie.
I wish I didn’t read this.
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“Grandma, what big teeth you have!”
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Gator Grill was never the biggest actor in the world. Never.
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This movie looks really bad. Mix a few movie actors with some mediocre television actors and they try to market it as an allstar ensemble cast. Please. I won’t be contributing funds at the box office to see this mess.
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I like to make that kind of money, where do I sign up??
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meh. she’s also getting paid for having her name attached and some promo.
…
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kinda makes the dollar a second I pay the chiropractor seem worth it
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She is an over-rated, annoying actress.
*Stands in line with van to sign up for this type of gig*
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5, 10 years ago, having her in the film might guarantee a bump in sales to cover her salary. Now? No way. They could substitute any other actress into her 6 minute role, and I don’t think it would make a bit of difference. I don’t know anyone who would see out this film only because she’s in it – the people who will go see it will go see it with or without her. I also find it amazing she’s getting a percentage deal too, on top of a ridiculous salary. They should have saved their money and cast someone else.
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I od’d on her a lonnnnnggg time ago and wish she’d go away. I won’t see any film she’s in since her horrible miscasting in Ocean’s Eleven, which ruined that film, imo.
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the movie: not seeing it.
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Not that I am a huge fan of romantic comedies anyway, but who are these women who “drag” their husbands and boyfriends against their will to see these movies? My husband knows I will never go see dumb action movies with him, and likewise I wouldn’t drag him to this tripe. I know this isn’t really the point of the article, but I have to wonder…
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“I also find it amazing she’s getting a percentage deal too”
Not once ‘Hollywood Acccounting’ has been through the books, then you’ll find that it unexpectedly made a loss.
No percentage for Julia.
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I love JR and would go and see anything she is in. I think she is a wonderful actress and I like her crude mouth, I find her real, and very funny! She is someone I would love to party with!!
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Im not surprised, but then I’m not the type of person who likes chick flicks.
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That’s interesting… i see nothing wrong in earning a living-sorry!!
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i could be wrong, but i remember a blind a while back about an actress working on an ensemble film who was being a complete diva bitch about the negotiations of her paycheck, and she almost didn’t get cast in the movie because she was asking too much. at the time i think the popular guess was Heigl but now i think it could be julia.
she seems to have a huuuuge superiority complex. i bet if this wasn’t an ensemble and it was just julia in some stupid rom-com called valentines day no one would see it.
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If someone offered you this money, would you turn it down? I get the mock offense at the pay scale…but at least she has a certain talent. Now if you were bitching about Paris Hilton, or any of the Kardashians, I could get behind your outrage.
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I love Julia, to me she is very beautiful. Some people just don’t see it though. So excited to see this movie.
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wow…that kind of pisses me off. Its ridiculous amounts of money. But if i were her i would be very, very happy right now lol. So good for her i guess…With all those stars and the fact that the movie is coming out on Valentines Day weekend it is sure to do very well. i know im seeing it (even though it looks like a hollow, generic chick flick it looks like a fun, light movie for Valentines Day)
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Why do the Hollyweird moguls think people want to pay to see Muppet Mouth? I avoid her movies like the plague.
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This reminds me of a BLIND ITEM that said few knew the star and the director that made her a star had a thing, BLINK and YOU’LL MISS THEM in their most recent project.
This may not be the exact wording but pretty damn close!
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i agree with karen – what woman forces her BF/husband to go see chick movies?! i didn’t force mr. snapdragon to see the “sex & the city” movie with me – that’s what girlfriends & gay male friends are for! as for julia, i think her “acting” is hideous. it consists of her tossing her hair, barking her big dumb horselaugh and showing her teeth alot. my golden retriever acts just like that at the dogpark, but she doesn’t have an oscar.
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Julia Roberts is YUCK!
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Lucky Julia. They needed a big name A lister to draw people and other actors to this shitty crapfest of a movie, so they had to pay up.
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I despise Julia, at least in interviews, because I think she is full of herself, but I will be there at the theatre 10:30 am Sunday morning alone watching the movie. I won’t force my man to see it, that wouldn’t be fair. I love chick flicks!
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i agree with karen and snapdragon…i don’t know any girl (who can hold a relationship) who brings their boyfriends to such crap…maybe its my group of friends, but honestly, none of us pay to see these movies, sappy romance movies don’t entice me at all, i need something else. i hate the stereotype that all women love this crap
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It’s kind of sad that more women aren’t making this sort of money… it’s not really just about the 3 minutes… it’s her star power…
I also kind of like the fact that she doesn’t look like she has been botoxed into creepy land…
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soo i just saw this film tonight with a group of friends, and my fiance and at first i was cringing at the fact i would have to sit through 2 hours of mushy gushy crap, so i tried to get comfy to sneak in a good nap, but i was pleasently surprised. Sure it was fully of mush and alot more gush, but the stories were cute, and the actors were pretty spot on too the character they played. Julia Roberts actually did a decent job, and i think her character was one of the most moving towards the end, i mean it wasnt oscar worthy, but good to spend some time seeing. Im not sure she deserved the 6 million, but she wasn’t nearly as awful as people are saying. The older couple were adorable! The one thing i hated about it was taylor swift! I get her character was supose to act like an immature girl in highschool, however she should deffinately stay with singing, and avoid any acting whatsoever. She was dreadful, and the entire crowd groaned whenever she came on the screen. Oh and not all men hate the romcom’s, i supose if its the mentality of ‘dragging’ them too see one, it’s probably not going to go over well.
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Was every woman in that movie filled with teeth and gums? Lord have mercy!
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The movie just made 67 million in its opening weeked. So, the answer to that question is–YES, she’s worth it!
I still love Julia. No one has been able to fill her shoes. She has charm, grace, self-confidence. Only Sandra comes close. The rest–Aniston, Hudson, Heigl–can’t compare. They’re like cheapie Target knocks-offs of a great Gucci dress.
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I think it’s the other way around. They were probably having a hard time casting the film at all and once Julia agreed to do it was a more palatable project. And why not? Do you think Ashton Kutcher was going to draw in the same people or more?
I wouldn’t see the movie if you paid, or only if you paid me. Lol.
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