When Test Audiences Wanted Julia Roberts' Character Dead

Julia Roberts built her reputation as Hollywood's rom-com queen after Pretty Woman launched her into stardom. That 1990 breakthrough followed her Oscar-nominated performance in Steel Magnolias, establishing her as the go-to actress for romantic leads. From playing movie star Anna Scott in Notting Hill to reuniting with Richard Gere in Runaway Bride, Roberts seemed untouchable in the genre.

Then came 1997's My Best Friend's Wedding. Roberts played Julianne, a woman who suddenly realizes she loves her best friend just days before his wedding to someone else. Her solution? Sabotage the entire ceremony.

The Character Nobody Could Stand

Director PJ Hogan knew he was taking a risk. Julianne wasn't your typical romantic heroine. She was selfish, manipulative, and willing to destroy her friend's happiness for her own gain. The character's timing seemed particularly cruel - why wait until he's engaged to make a move?

Early test screenings confirmed Hogan's worst fears. Audiences despised Julianne with a passion that shocked everyone involved. The original ending featured John Corbett as a new love interest who would give Julianne her happy ending after she accepted defeat.

"They wanted her dead," Hogan told Entertainment Weekly about audience reactions. "They just couldn't understand her motives."

Studio Panic and Creative Solutions

The studio faced a nightmare scenario. They had a Julia Roberts vehicle where audiences hated Julia Roberts. Rom-coms need likeable protagonists, especially when that protagonist is one of Hollywood's biggest stars.

"They were very nervous because we were making a Julia Roberts film and they couldn't have her end up alone and unhappy," Hogan explained. "So we had to come up with something that pleased the studio, but that was acceptable to the audience."

The solution came through expanding Rupert Everett's role as George, Julianne's gay best friend. Originally a smaller part, George became Julianne's conscience and the audience's guide to understanding her twisted logic.

Rewriting the Villain

Every time Julianne plotted something particularly nasty, she'd call George. He became her moral compass, calling out her behavior while explaining her motivations to viewers. These conversations helped audiences see past Julianne's actions to understand her panic and desperation.

"Every time Julianne talked to him, she'd explain why she was doing these terrible things," Hogan said. "Whenever she was being particularly devious I'd have her phone Rupert's character and he would call her out on it."

The strategy worked. Audiences stopped wanting Julianne dead and started seeing her as flawed but human. The film starring Cameron Diaz and Dermot Mulroney alongside Roberts became a massive hit, earning $299.3 mn worldwide and proving Roberts remained Hollywood's most bankable romantic lead.