Emma Roberts says her aunt Julia Roberts helped inspire Maybe I Do performance
Roberts stars alongside Richard Gere, Diane Keaton, and Susan Sarandon in the new film.
When it comes to rom-com stars, they don't come much bigger than Julia Roberts – and so perhaps it's no surprise that the Notting Hill star served as inspiration for her niece Emma's performance in new film Maybe I Do.
Emma Roberts leads the star-studded cast of the film – which has just arrived on Amazon Prime Video – alongside Hollywood heavyweights including Richard Gere, Diane Keaton, and Susan Sarandon.
And although she says she was able to relate to her character Michelle on a personal level, she also revealed that rewatching some of her favourite rom-coms helped inform her performance.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
"Michelle to me more than anything... like I just felt like I related to her in some ways," she said during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. "I felt like a lot of my friends inspired me for the role.
"But I mean, I rewatch old romantic comedies all the time – like I love anything my aunt's done, I love Cameron Diaz. Like My Best Friend's wedding, actually, the movie they did together, is like one of my all-time favourites. I watch that movie all the time!"
Speaking about why the film appealed to her, Robert explained that she "loved every second" of writer/director Michael Jacobs' script when she first got her hands on it.
Read more:
- White Men Can’t Jump director on why new film is ‘sampling’ not remake
- Being called James Bond is a ‘very isolating psychological place’
"I feel like I got teary-eyed, I laughed, I cringed, I just really saw myself and people I know in these characters," she said. "And I liked that it's kind of this fresh twist on an old-school kind of romantic comedy idea.
"[And] the cast, when I was reading it, to have in your head like Diane Keaton and Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon – like it's a dream."
And it sounds like the experience of working with Keaton and Gere – who play her character's parents – very much lived up to her expectations.
"They're obviously such pros and so amazing, and they were just so funny and sweet," she said. "And I mean, I could just watch Diane Keaton exist every day – like she's just so funny and cool. I was having such a fun time with her!"
Maybe I Do is now available on Amazon Prime Video – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days.
Read our guides to the best Amazon Prime series and the best movies on Amazon Prime, and find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
