Julia Roberts was bullied on the set of the ’80s movie Steel Magnolias by her director claims co-star Sally Field: ‘He was very, very, very hard on her’

Sally Field has claimed Julia Roberts was subjected to ‘awful’ bullying on the set of Steel Magnolias.

The 77-year-old actress was part of an all-star cast for the 1989 drama film alongside Shirley MacLaine and Dolly Parton.

Allegedly, then-newcomer Julia – who was nominated for an Oscar for her role as the tragic Shelby – was always being ‘picked on’ by director Herbert Ross.

Sally and her colleagues had to ‘come to her aid’ and ‘rally around her’ during production, she said.

After Steel Magnolias came out, Julia turned into a superstar with her movie Pretty Woman.

She told Vulture: ‘[Herb] was pretty much giving me the freedom to do whatever. I mean, Herb was very, very, very hard on Julia.

‘If you ever talk to Julia, she’ll tell you.

‘We would all rally around Julia, because she was the baby. She was sort of the newcomer. And she was wonderful, and he just picked on her. It was awful.’

Field added, ‘Because he could be a real son of a b****, that’s why. Some people just need to have somebody they pick on.

‘But we all came to her aid, and I remember Dolly once just turned on him — always with humor, but usually the most vulgar humor you ever heard so that it was like, you just literally don’t have a leg to stand on.’

The Academy Award-winning star was then asked if she was subjected to the same sort of behavior from Ross.

She insisted that would never have happened because she is a ‘warrior’ despite her small stature.

 

She told Vulture: ‘[Herb] was pretty much giving me the freedom to do whatever. I mean, Herb was very, very, very hard on Julia. ‘If you ever talk to Julia, she’ll tell you’

Field said: ‘No. Because he dared not. I mean, I don’t mind notes, but I will argue if it doesn’t make sense to me.

‘But if you’re gonna be mean to me, then you’re gonna find a warrior. I may be small, but you don’t want to do that.’

Director Ross died in 2001 in New York City at the age of 74 due to heart failure.

The 56-year-old actress told Bazaar that navigating the world is a ‘scary place’.

Regarding online bullying, Roberts said on Monday, ‘I was amazed at how that made me feel’.

This comes after Julia’s brother Eric Roberts shared he is ready to spill the tea in a new memoir about his prolific Hollywood career.

The 67-year-old actor revealed on Wednesday that his upcoming book, Runaway Train: Or, the Story of My Life So Far, will cover his arrival in Tinseltown at the age of 17, his complicated relationship with his superstar sister Julia, and everything in between—including his struggle with substance abuse disorder.

The Expendables star is ‘open about the seriousness of his addictions and their devastating effect on his career’ in the memoir, according to a press release.

Written with bestselling author Sam Kashner, Eric’s tome will also feature insights into his affair with actress Sandy Dennis, working with Bob Fosse on Star 80 and palling around with the likes of legends Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke, John Malkovich, Bruce Willis and Robin Williams.

Eric will also touch upon his relationship with his actress daughter Emma Roberts, whom he shares with ex Kelly Cunningham.

The book is sure to contain a few juicy tales from the Hollywood insider.

Eric’s resume dates back to 1974, when he made his first appearance on the TV show ‘How to Survive a Marriage.

He gained prominence with his breakout role in the 1978 film King of the Gypsies, earning a Golden Globe nomination.

Roberts then received critical acclaim for his role in Runaway Train (1985), securing an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

In the ’90s, he continued to showcase his versatility in films like The Specialist (1994) and The Dark Knight (2008).

Roberts’ career encompasses over 600 film and television appearances, solidifying his status as a respected and enduring figure in Hollywood.

Of course, a rumored rift with Pretty Woman star Julia has been one of the most talked about aspects of his wild Hollywood life.

However, in a 2022 interview with Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef, Eric dismissed rumors of a feud with the 55-year-old actress, claiming it stemmed from a misunderstanding from one awkward interview.

‘Julia and I have always been fine,’ The Dark Knight star told the podcast host, even though they have not been photographed together in decades.

‘I think years and years ago I was doing a press tour for some movie. I don’t even know what movie it was. And it was just when Pretty Woman just got released.

‘And so they’re asking a bunch of questions about Julia. And I said, “Hey, excuse me. Can we talk about me?” I think I was very funny. And of course, then it’s like, “Oh, they have a problem. Oh my God, they have a problem.”

‘And suddenly all these problems I keep hearing about I have with my sister that I don’t have with my sister. And they’re just popping up all the place,’ he added.

The Mississippi native added, ‘And I’m asked about them as if they’re real issues. “So what happened? And so and so and so and so. “Oh, I wasn’t aware of that.”