To be honest, Emma Roberts as an adult might not be as beautiful as Kristen Stewart, but as a child, she was much cuter than the tomboyish young Kristen.
Of course, if possible, the person Wayne most wanted to use was another Emma. However, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" was still being filmed.
"Hello, Mr. Anderson."
"Hello, Ms. Roberts."
As expected, Wayne saw Julia Roberts on set, accompanying the young Emma Roberts.
Perhaps due to her fame and status, Julia wasn't as overtly friendly as Nicole Kidman. She maintained a balance between being approachable while keeping a respectful distance.
This wasn't surprising.
While Nicole Kidman's popularity stemmed from her relationship with Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts had built her fame on her own.
She had skyrocketed to fame with *Pretty Woman*, but even earlier, she had won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for an Oscar for *Steel Magnolias*.
*Pretty Woman* later earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress and another Oscar nomination. At just 23, she had become a household name across America.
And that was only the beginning. She went on to star in films like *Hook* and *Notting Hill*, receiving multiple nominations.
Her latest film, *Erin Brockovich*, released in March, was already predicted to secure her an Oscar next year.
Compared to Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts was clearly on another level.
However, after Nicole Kidman divorced Tom Cruise, her career soared as well. Had Tom Cruise been less diligent or successful, she might have even surpassed him.
When Julia Roberts agreed to join *The Bourne Identity* for a small supporting role, it brought significant attention to the film.
Had the film's budget not already been a massive $50 million, the big studios might have been tempted to invest.
The reason Julia Roberts agreed to this "lower-level" role was simple: for the money.
Although she had earned a lot over the years, as a top Hollywood star, her expenses were astronomical.
Maintaining her mansion was just the tip of the iceberg.
For instance, someone of her status needed to look glamorous whenever she went out, which meant wearing designer clothes, jewelry, shoes, and bags — items that could cost thousands, even tens of thousands, of dollars.
More importantly, to secure the Oscar for *Erin Brockovich*, she needed to invest in PR, which would cost about $6–7 million — a significant but necessary expense.
For A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio or Tom Cruise, PR costs could easily triple, and they still might not win.
So, in her negotiations with the studio, she offered to play two assassins killed by Jason Bourne if they paid her an extra million dollars. She was clearly familiar with the source material.
Originally, Wayne had only planned to cast her in a minor role as a landlord who gets killed quickly, purely for her name value.
After some thought, he accepted her proposal.
After all, this would be the first time in her long career that Julia Roberts would play an assassin in an action film — a great marketing angle.
For Julia, it was a win-win: more money and a breakthrough role.
However, since she had no experience in action films and there wasn't enough time for training, Wayne decided to cast her as the sniper trying to kill Bourne from a distance, who ends up being outsmarted by him. She would have about three minutes of screen time.
As for Kate Winslet, she was cast as the ex-wife of the main character's girlfriend. This was an additional role created by Tony Gilroy to leverage Kate Winslet's popularity.
In the end, Julia Roberts ended up with the most screen time among the three female stars.
"Anderson, this is my niece Emma. Please take good care of her," Julia Roberts said, introducing a poised Emma Roberts, wearing a floral dress and a sunhat.
She subtly mentioned the *Gifted* project, having likely heard about the important role of a young girl in the film, hinting at recommending her niece for the part.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Roberts, but the role is for a six-year-old girl, and Emma is a bit too old," Wayne replied, straightforwardly turning down the suggestion.
Not only was Emma Roberts' acting far behind Dakota Fanning's, but she was also too old for the part. Kids grow fast, especially in the West. A nine-year-old is often much taller than a six-year-old.
Emma Roberts also had a mature look for her age, making her seem closer to a 13- or 14-year-old, which disqualified her from playing Mary in *Gifted*.
"That's unfortunate," Julia Roberts said, though her expression remained unchanged. It was clear she didn't care too much about the role.
Of course, this had to do with their respective statuses.
Despite her fame, in the face of capital, she still had to remain humble.
Having been in the industry for 14 years, she clearly understood and respected the rules. Without this understanding, she wouldn't have reached her level of success.
Emma Roberts, on the other hand, looked visibly disappointed. Her small hands fidgeted, her expression forlorn.