Julia Roberts has revealed that one of her fellow actors still intimidates her, naming Chloe Sevigny as the performer who deeply unsettles the iconic Oscar winner. Speaking to Variety in a group interview that featured Sevigny and director Luca Guadagnino, Roberts described the first meeting with Sevigny as a moment of awe and anxiety, underscoring how the cast navigated a blend of admiration and nerves during rehearsals for their film After the Hunt.
Roberts said she was both excited and intimidated about meeting Sevigny, recounting a scene at her house where the group sat around the kitchen table discussing material and running lines. "Allan [Mandelbaum], our producer, he came in, and he goes, ‘Chloe should just be here in a couple minutes.’ And I look up, and Ayo [Edebiri] looks up, and we match eyes. Luca goes, ‘What?’ And I go, ‘I’m scared.’ And Ayo goes, ‘Me too.’ And Hazel goes, ‘I’m leaving.’ And then, like a minute later, the doorbell rang, and Hazel goes, ‘I’m leaving through the garage.’ And truly we were so excited and intimidated." The anecdote captured the mix of anticipation and vulnerability the group felt as they prepared to work together on location.
Sevigny, for her part, recalled the emotional moment that followed during the conversation, noting how she grew to admire Roberts over time. During the exchange, Sevigny joked about how she would watch Roberts’ films on the plane home after their discussions, saying, "On the plane ride home, I watched, like, three of your movies. I just wanted more Julia! Notting Hill, My Best Friend’s Wedding and I can’t remember the third. But I was like, ‘I just want more Julia!’" It was at that moment, Sevigny added, that Roberts’ tears surfaced. Sevigny described feeling a strong connection with Roberts, adding that Roberts invited the pair to her home for rehearsals and that they stayed in a beach house during the process. Sevigny called Roberts generous and giving in private life just as she appears on screen.
The conversation around Roberts’ warmth extended beyond personal hospitality. Guadagnino, who directed the film, praised Roberts for balancing roles as a friend and a mother with a curiosity that translates onto set. He recalled Roberts cooking for the group, highlighting her skills in the kitchen with salmon and banana bread, and noting that she also makes French toast. The director emphasized that the star’s on-set hospitality is matched by her attentiveness to every crew member, saying, "She’s a friend, she’s a mother, she cares for people. Spending time with her in their private life is amazing. Being in the house is amazing. Doing things with Julia is amazing. And then she shows up on set. And the day after, she knows every single person in the crew’s name, and it’s not an affectation. She’s actually curious."
Roberts has described the challenge of entering the character in After the Hunt as something more existential than simply embodying a figure of sympathy. She explained that the hardest part was not being sympathetic and empathetic in the way she instinctively might be. Instead, she wrestled with understanding how to hold a character who resists that instinct. "For me as a person, it’s like, ‘Oh, how can I hold her?’ And she was not to be held. This was not the time. I have a very hen-like personality; I want to gather, and I want to feed and care. And she’s just the opposite of every instinct I’ve ever had in my life. In the end it was really exhausting for me. The mental gymnastics of the way she lives her life is very unfamiliar to me. So having Luca keep me on the right rails at all times. And then, it’s a playground.’’
Roberts also praised co-star Michael, saying she often felt overwhelmed by what he was doing in scenes. She recalled turning to Guadagnino and saying, in astonishment,, "Are you f***ing kidding me? What he’s doing is so unexpected and original, and I’m just watching him. I’m not even in the scene anymore, because it’s so unreal what you’re doing right now." The remarks underscore the collaborative energy on set and the mutual respect among the cast.
The remarks come amid a high-profile promotional cycle for After the Hunt, which moments earlier drew attention at the Venice International Film Festival. The film’s ensemble cast, including Roberts, Sevigny, Ayo Edebiri and Guadagnino, used the Variety interview to describe how their off-screen rapport influenced on-screen chemistry. The Venice setting provided a dramatic backdrop to the conversations about character, preparation and the rhythms of filmmaking that often emerge behind the scenes. As the cast reflected on the process, the thread that ran through their comments was a shared sense of generosity—both on and off screen—and a willingness to push boundaries while remaining grounded in the realities of a long, collaborative shoot.
In recounting the experience, Roberts offered a window into the emotional and practical balance required for a project of this scale. The actress has previously spoken about the importance of human connection in film work, and the Venice conversations underscored that ethos in the context of After the Hunt. The film’s premiere and broader reception will likely shape how audiences perceive the dynamic among this notable group of performers and a filmmaker who has been openly involved in shaping the production from rehearsal to release.