JULIA ROBERTS
How she and Danny Moder kept their love strong through tough times.
Looking decidedly unglam in combat boots with her hair pulled up in a messy bun, Julia Roberts recently strolled with Danny Moder in Malibu. Danny, 48, was still clearly smitten, though, lovingly wrapping his arm around his wife as she whispered in his ear. “He makes me feel my most comfortable self,” Julia, 49, has gushed about her better half, calling him “the safest place in the world.”
The duo, who celebrated their 15th anniversary on July 4, worked hard to get to this happy place in their relationship. From the stress of their controversial courtship to dealing with family tragedies, their marriage, at times, almost crumbled under the pressure. “But Julia’s family is the most important thing to her,” an insider tells Closer. “She couldn’t handle watching it fall apart, so she committed to doing whatever she had to do to keep it together.”
After meeting Danny, an alreadymarried cinematographer, in 2000, Julia struggled to win over his family. They were wary of his romance with the actress, who was involved with actor Benjamin Bratt at the time. “His relatives used to have a lot of contempt toward Julia,” the insider says, and it wasn’t until Danny and Julia’s kids were born after the couple wed in 2002 that “they accepted her as part of their family.”
Twins Phinnaeus and Hazel, 12, came along in 2004, and Henry, 10, followed in 2007. “Becoming parents definitely strengthened Julia and Danny’s marriage,” the insider says. Even so, the duo still had trouble navigating the dynamics of their relationship when Danny started focusing more intensely on his career.
STRIKING A BALANCE
“That put a strain on things,” the insider says, “because Julia felt he was trying to get away from her.” Communication proved to be key. “They found a happy medium,” the insider adds, “after he explained he needed to feel he wasn’t just living off of her and wanted to provide for his family.”
Julia’s mom Betty’s lung cancer battle proved to be the couple’s “most challenging time,” the insider says. “Betty stayed at their home a lot while she recovered from surgeries, and she was very controlling. It drove Danny crazy. He tried to stay away as much as possible during that time.”
The pain of Betty’s 2015 death was made worse since Julia was still reeling from the 2014 overdose suicide of her half-sister, Nancy Motes, 37. After those traumatic events, “Julia and Danny took some time off,” the insider says, “and spent a lot of time working on their marriage.” As Julia says, their strong foundation saved them. “When you look at the perils Danny and I have already gone through, it had better be tethered to something solid, or else it would disintegrate,” she reasons.
Their shared love of travel, fitness and reveling in their kids’ activities has also fortified their bond. “I’m genuinely and deeply a happy person,” says Julia, who turns 50 in October. “As life goes on, you realize what great fortune that is.” — Ron Kelly
“My husband is my best bud. He never lets me down.”
— Julia