Julia Roberts’ parents are Walter Grady Roberts and Betty Lou Bredemus. They were both involved in building the live theater scene in Atlanta, Georgia. Before their separation in 1972, Walter and Betty co-founded the Actors and Writers Workshop and an acting school for children, contributing significantly to Atlanta’s acting community. They ran one of the few integrated theater schools in the country that accepted Black actors, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s children attended the school during segregation. The Kings, in return, helped Roberts’ parents with financial difficulties, including covering the hospital bill for Julia’s birth. Julia Roberts remains an advocate against racism, influenced by her parents’ commitment to integration and their friendship with the Kings.
Julia Roberts’ parents were Walter Grady Roberts and Betty Lou Bredemus. They separated in 1972 but had significant contributions to the Atlanta theater scene before their separation. Walter and Betty co-founded the Actors and Writers Workshop and ran an acting school for children, which played a crucial role in fostering the live theater scene in Atlanta, Georgia.
Their workshop, according to Arts Atlanta, was instrumental in Atlanta’s growing acting community. Notably, they ran one of the few integrated theater schools in the country that accepted Black actors during a time of segregation. Yolanda King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., attended the acting school run by the Roberts, and a play featuring an interracial kiss led to a protest by a Klansman who set a car on fire in the parking lot.
The connection between Julia Roberts’ parents and the Kings went beyond the theater. Martin Luther King Jr.’s children attended the integrated theater school, and the Kings, grateful for the generosity shown to their children, helped Julia Roberts’ parents with financial difficulties. The Kings even paid the hospital bill for Julia Roberts’ birth, as her parents couldn’t afford it at the time.
Julia Roberts has spoken about her parents’ commitment to racial integration, and this upbringing has influenced her strong stance against racism. The support and friendship between the Roberts family and the Kings played a significant role in shaping Julia Roberts’ early life and values.
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