Julia Roberts may be on the verge of reprising one of her most iconic roles. Amid swirling rumors about a sequel to her 1997 blockbuster *My Best Friend's Wedding*, co-starring Cameron Diaz, Julia has only added fuel to the speculative fire. In an interview with *Variety* published on September 18, the actress—who portrayed the unforgettable Julianne Potter in the original film—revealed, "They’re talking to me."
Adding further intrigue, Luca Guadagnino, Julia’s collaborator on *After the Hunt*, has enthusiastically thrown his hat into the ring as a potential director. He told the outlet he’d sign on "in a second." While details remain scant, the buzz is undeniable.
Since its theatrical release in June 1997, the original film—which also featured Dermot Mulroney—has cemented itself as a beloved classic, though its journey to the silver screen was far from smooth. Screenwriter Ron Bass recounted to *E! News* in 2017 how he initially pitched the story to a studio executive who "loved everything about it" but warned it would never get made. Why? "Because the lead doesn’t get the guy in the end," Bass recalled.
Despite lukewarm initial interest, the script circulated among over 50 industry professionals before finally securing two offers. "People say, how could it ever be anyone but Julia Roberts?" Bass mused, acknowledging her star power as pivotal. Interestingly, another A-lister nearly landed the role: Sandra Bullock. "The only person the other offer was for—and I’m not sure she even knew about it—was Sandra," Bass revealed. "She’s probably the only other actress in the world besides Julia who would’ve been fabulous for that part. They’re the two best people in the world to do that, but that’s how lucky I was."
The film also broke ground by featuring an LGBTQ character—Rupert Everett’s George Downes—in a mainstream romantic comedy. "Beyond Julianne losing the guy, I wanted to write something where the smartest, best, wisest, most terrific person in the movie was gay," Bass explained. "There wasn’t anything like that in those days; this was the first time that ever really happened."
Now, as whispers of a sequel persist, fans can’t help but wonder: Could lightning strike twice?
