Celebrity Chatter: Julia Roberts Flashes Her 'Mona Lisa Smile'

Julia Roberts had me a bit ruffled. Meeting the highest paid movie actress in history and one of the biggest stars in the world definitely put my stomach in knots.

On the day of our interview, Roberts lacked energy. She had been battling the flu and admitted to "just trying to keep it together." Her new movie, "Mona Lisa Smile," is important to her and she had been eager to meet with the press to get the word out.

Despite feeling under the weather, she looked fantastic in a crisp white shirt and crystal necklace. Her smile was broad and bright, exactly the way it looks on screen. Her presence was definitely intimidating. After all, at 36 she is one of the most powerful women in Hollywood and we're meeting on her turf, sort of. We're in Los Angeles at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Roberts worked on "Mona Lisa Smile" for two years. It opens nationwide Friday. Her production company Red Om Films (that's Moder, her married name, spelled backward) developed the film with Revolution Studios. The producing team's debut project was the hit romantic comedy "Maid In Manhattan."

"Julia Roberts is our producer and I really admire the fact that she made this movie happen," one of the movie's co-stars, Kirsten Dunst, told me.

It's the story of a an art history teacher, Katherine Watson, who travels from California to the New England campus of Wellesley College in the fall of 1953 to meet who she thinks will be some of the brightest, most independent, women in the country. What she discovers is something quite different.

"The fact that she was able to create a female dominated movie in a mainstream market that's usually basically for big blockbuster blow 'em up kind of films. It's rare to see a movie like this," Dunst said.

For Roberts, the character of Watson wasn't based on one person, but a number of people she's met through the years.

"I've known and know a lot of people like her…their essence really. I think what is so attractive about her, really, is that she deeply and profoundly loves what she does. She loves to teach and she loves art and she loves the concepts behind it. She loves the controversy and the different ways that people respond to it," Roberts told me.

I asked her about being a mentor to the young actresses in the film. They are a power ensemble: Dunst, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal and virtual newcomer Ginnifer Goodwin. At first, she appeared defensive. Perhaps I insulted her. But as she spoke I realized that she believed the girls didn't need mentoring or teaching.

"Those girls don't need a mentor. They are all so capable and sophisticated young women. If anything, it's an extended peer group. They are the younger members of it. They teach as much as they could ever learn. They are smart girls and really good at what they do. I enjoyed their presence," Roberts said.

Behind the camera and credited as director of photography is Roberts' husband of a 1½ years, Danny Moder. I asked Roberts how it was having her husband join her on the set. The two actually met on a movie set two years before their marriage when Roberts was filming "The Mexican" and he was a cameraman.

"It's fun. We've worked together a number of time and we're good friends. So it's an extension of our friendship to work together," she said.

In Hollywood

Actor Jeremy Piven showed up at the Four Seasons lounge and took a seat at the bar last week. He was wearing a wool cap and winter coat. Granted, there was a chill in the Beverly Hills air, but he was bundled up. Maybe the clothing was leftovers from his days growing up in Evanston, Ill.? Meanwhile, the Four Seasons was buzzing with celebrities. Spotted was Jude Law and a couple of other nice looking British gentlemen who gabbed in the elevator.

Piven is starring in the upcoming "Chasing Liberty" with Mandy Moore, while Law co-stars with Nicole Kidman in "Cold Mountain."

Speaking of nice looking Brits, Dominic West who co-stars in "Mona Lisa Smile," said it wasn't difficult being the only man in a cast that was made up mostly of women.

"They were all quite nice, really," he chirped.

Soon after, he was shuttled to Roberts' private jet and whisked back to London where he lives.

Singing For His Supper

Who could sing the wedding chant for the most famous tenor in the world? When Luciano Pavarotti married longtime girlfriend Nicoletta Mantovani, Andrea Bocelli sang "Ave Maria."

Pavarotti, 68, and Mantovani, 34, married after living together since 1996. The wedding gathered some A-list stars including Sting and his wife, Trudi Styler. Designers Dolce and Gabbana were expected to show as was Donatella Versace. The marriage took place Saturday in Pavarotti's home town of Modena, Italy.

The invitations were sent by the couple's daughter.

"Alice Pavarotti invites you with joy to the marriage of Papa Luciano and Mamma Nicoletta," the invites reportedly read.

Celebrity Web Site Of The Week

In the age of extreme makeovers (it's expected they'll be dominating air waves as "the" reality shows next season), it was funny when I stumbled on a celebrity then and now makeover site.

The site takes on Christina Aguilera, the litigious Catherine Zeta Jones, Courtney Love, Halle Berry and more.

Want to check it out? Go to www.awfulplasticsurgery.com.

Michelle Solomon's gossip column, Celebrity Chatter, usually appears each Monday. E-mail us with questions or comments. Michelle Solomon@Celebrity Chatter.