JULIA TAKES THE KIDS!
With her marriage in turmoil, the Pretty Woman star is making motherhood her priority
When a tired-looking Julia Roberts hit the shops in Malibu, California with her son Phinnaeus late last month, it was a sign the stress of her troubled marriage to Danny Moder was taking its toll.
According to Woman’s Day sources, the actress – who was recently seen leaving her home with a load of boxes – is channelling all her energy into her three kids – twins Phinnaeus and Hazel, 13, and Henry, 11, amid rumours the 50-year-old and her cameraman husband are planning to call it quits.
A GROUNDED MUM
“Of course she will fight for custody if it comes to that,” an insider reveals. “It’s no secret Julia and Danny have been having problems but she’s determined to not let it affect their kids. She’s putting them first, as she’s always done.
“She’s going through the motions, taking Phinnaeus and Henry shopping for school clothes, driving Hazel to soccer practice and making lunches. Being a mum keeps her grounded
and she will continue to protect them from any stress that may come from what’s going on in their parents’ relationship.”
While being guarded, Julia couldn’t hide the personal pressure and tension that etched new frown lines on her face while out and about with her son.
“She kept the marriage going this long because she didn’t want to deal with the custody issue. The last thing she’d want is to only see her children part-time, so it’s only natural she’ll want full custody.
“Her whole world revolves around them. They belong with her,” says the insider. “She’s always been there when they wake up, and she’s always been there when they go to sleep.
“She’s a hands-on mum who enjoys making meals from scratch and talking about what the kids learned at school that day over the dinner table. She always helps them with their homework.”
Julia’s work schedule has been frantic but she’s reportedly scaled back on her hours filming the upcoming Amazon series Homecoming to spend evenings and weekends with her family.
“By the time we had kids, I had accomplished things and felt secure about that part of my life,” the devoted mum has said. “I was so joyful moving into the family phase of my life in a sincere way.”
MISERY SETS IN
Julia and Danny, who met on the set of The Mexican, wed in 2002 and welcomed Phinnaeus and Hazel in 2004 and Henry in 2007. But their family unit as it stands now may not be for much longer – rumours of marital strife began to bubble in July when the couple were pictured looking miserable on a family holiday in Hawaii.
“They haven’t spent quality time together in months and seem to be missing that loving feeling. It will be a shame if she and Danny can’t work things out,” one friend tells us.
“They worked so hard to build their family unit but Julia has spread herself thin, juggling her duties as a mum with her acting work,” adds the insider.
“They’ve lost the connection. Julia doesn’t want to deprive the kids of their dad,” the source explains, adding she’d want her husband to get unlimited visitation if they split.
“She wants to be in charge of their day-to-day lives but she knows they need their dad, too.”
‘She’s staying focused on the children’