
ISSUE DATE: July 9, 2001
THE BUZZ:
Enter Julia Roberts, bearing an Oscar. In this free-market free-for-all, she epitomizes the paradox of being the best. Is Roberts the best American actress? That little statue is a sign that she can sometimes be a screen presence to reckon with, but in any ballot of the most accomplished performers, she would meet heavy competition from Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Julianne Moore and Kathy Bates, to name a few. But Best Movie Star? No contest. And that’s because she is the biggest female box-office draw, even in films that are often of so-so quality. She does best the thing that only movie stars do. By the mysterious force of her public persona, she digs a channel into our most closely guarded yearnings.
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