Early in their romance, the actress was accused of kidnapping her husband by makeup artist Vera Steimberg, the cinematographer’s ex-wife, who even bought her off to obtain a divorce.
Renowned for her beauty and skill, the actress was rumored to be seeing other famous men before she met this filmmaker. She briefly dated Kiefer Sutherland before being married to musician Lyle Lovett.
It was also reported that Liam Neeson, Dylan McDermott, Matthew Perry, Jason Patric, and other actors were dating. However, it wasn’t until she met the cameraman in 2000 while working on The Mexican set that her life took a significant turn for the better.
It’s actress Julia Roberts. At the time, Roberts was seeing actor Benjamin Bratt, while Danny Moder, the cinematographer, was still married to Vera Steimberg. They clicked right instantly, even if they didn’t start dating right away. Moder filed for a divorce six months after he and Roberts first met, but it was a difficult procedure because Steimberg had initially denied him one.
Roberts described the moment of discovering Moder as a turning point in their relationship, describing it as both “comfortable and terrifying.” She explained, stating, “Terror because the person I want to impress the most is staring at me,” in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar.
Roberts refuted the claims made against them, stating that many suppositions concerning her love life had been made. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Roberts clarified that she did not dissolve Moder’s marriage, but she did admit that the public singled her out as a convenient scapegoat.
Winfrey questioned Roberts about the nature of her connection with Moder and how it began. Roberts disclosed that their friendship had existed for a considerable amount of time before their romantic relationship blossomed, and that working together on a movie project had reinforced their friendship.
She admitted that it was difficult to fall in love with a friend, especially because Moder was still married. However, she asked that both she and Moder make sure to end their previous relationships before fully committing to each other.
After Moder and Steimberg eventually came to an agreement over their divorce, Roberts and Moder began dating. Roberts thought that their ability to fall profoundly in love with one another was a result of their independence in handling their own affairs. Steimberg’s claim that Roberts had stolen her husband and her prediction that their romance wouldn’t last were refuted by Roberts and Moder.
Rumors have it that Roberts paid Steimberg $200,000 to sign the divorce papers, according to the New York Post. According to Steimberg, Roberts forced her to sign because she was desperate to have Moder all to herself. Nevertheless, the pair persisted in their union in spite of Roberts’s public persona as the “husband-stealer.”
Roberts often claims that Moder has made her life better. She admits that she was conceited and preoccupied with her work before meeting him, but he helped her realize that.
In 2002, Roberts and Moder tied the knot in secret at her house in New Mexico. Rather than the traditional Fourth of July bash, their guests were invited to a wedding. Moder wore a red shirt with frills and brown tights, while Roberts wore a pastel pink halter dress adorned with flowers and pearls. The couple wore modest clothing.
Roberts is thrilled to be in Moder’s life, despite the tumultuous beginning of their romance. After their wedding, she declared that she was the happiest and most satisfied she had ever been.
During Winfrey’s interview, Roberts was all over Moder’s support, thanking her for teaching her to respect the more intimate, less publicized aspects of life and for letting her be herself.
True happiness in a relationship may still be attained even in the midst of heavy public scrutiny, as Winfrey acknowledged when she acknowledged that Roberts is one of the few Hollywood celebrities who has managed to have a happy existence away from the spotlight.
