An old interview bit of Julia Roberts has resurfaced online, in which she can be heard talking about the agony of facing social media hate. The 56-year-old was describing the comments under a photo she posted with her niece, actress Emma Roberts, where the duo posed for the camera during a candid family moment. Julia and Emma were seen playing cards in simple clothing, with no makeup or harsh lighting. While Julia posted the photo to just share the heartwarming moment with her beloved niece, social media trolls were more focused on her appearance in the photo.
In the interview, Roberts expressed how she truly felt when she read the debating comments, some calling her derogatory names and some others supporting her. She could have put on a brave face or gone on a preachy rant to dismiss the trolls, but her vulnerability in confessing that she felt hurt is capturing hearts recently. Roberts' comment serves as a reminder of the effect online bullying can have on a person, be it a common person or a celebrity with millions of fans.
Julia Roberts' Honesty Makes Her More Relatable
"There were fights that broke out in the comments. I was amazed at what that made me feel. I am a 50-year-old woman and I know who I am; and still, my feelings got so hurt. I was so hurt that they could not see the sweetness of it (the photo); the absolute shining joy in that photo. Then I thought, 'God! What if I was 15?'. That is just devastating!" Julia Roberts said in the interview.
Roberts then continued to talk about the ugly truth behind the internet, where people can sit behind a screen and write the most vile comments and get away with it. While social media has its good side, the dark underbelly of bullying is overpowering. Regardless of how famous a person is or how old they are, bullying is never justifiable. Self-confidence is not easy to acquire as it is, and these harsh comments can do tremendous harm to one's mental health.
Roberts' honesty in describing her real feelings when she encountered the hate comments was impactful. Her rawness made her human with flesh and feelings just like any other, who feels hurt when trolled and elated when supported. Speaking up about bullying by acknowledging that she was hurt reminds common people that their vulnerability is not a sign of weakness. It gives them the chance to stand up for themselves too.
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