Julia Roberts, the famous Hollywood actress, likes to keep her personal life, especially her three kids, out of the spotlight. She and her husband welcomed twins Hazel and Phinnaeus in 2004. Three years later, their son Henry was born. Though they are quite private, Julia and Daniel Moder sometimes share small glimpses of their family life with fans. This time, many fans couldn’t help but notice a particular detail about Hazel’s appearance.
Hazel made her red carpet debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021.
Julia Roberts’s 19-year-old daughter Hazel is stepping into the spotlight just like her mom. In 2021, she joined her dad, Daniel Moder, at the premiere of Flag Day. It’s a drama directed by and starring Sean Penn, which also features his daughter, Dylan Frances Penn, in a lead role. Daniel Moder served as the film’s cinematographer, and his daughter decided to support him on the red carpet.
At the premiere, Hazel shined in a long yellow button-up dress paired with black Mary-Jane shoes, while her dad looked sharp in a classic black suit.
Fans couldn’t help but notice a particular detail about Hazel.
Fans noticed how much Hazel resembles her mom, Julia Roberts.
With her radiant smile and striking features, Hazel looks like a younger version of the famous actress. Many pointed out the uncanny resemblance, noting that Hazel has clearly inherited her mom’s charm and elegance.
Roberts is raising her kids to have less reliance on technology.
Julia Roberts has always been protective of her children’s privacy, rarely posting pictures of them on social media. She values real-life connections with her family, away from phones and technology. In her house, one rule is to put phones away, especially during meals. “We just had sort of simple rules where we had a charging station where everyone’s phones go when you get home. There’s no phones at the table,” Julia shared in 2023.
In the interview, she said that being at home “with kids and no devices” actually “sounds like a good time” to her. Julia explained that she raised her kids to not be overly dependent on technology, reminiscing about the days “when you couldn’t get ahold of people, or they couldn’t get ahold of you.”
“I think of a family coming together at the end of the day, and you actually have things to talk about at dinner because you haven’t been in contact all day long a hundred times or a busy signal,” she said.
The actress is a proud mom of college students.
Hazel and Phinnaeus are both in college now, and Julia Roberts couldn’t be prouder. “It’s really thrilling, and I wasn’t lucky enough to have a college experience. So to see how it’s happening for them is really fascinating. And yeah, I’m just, I’m excited for them,” she opened up.
On a December 2023 episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Julia shared that supporting her kids’ colleges has become a big part of her life, “You become immediately like, ’This is my entire life.’ I wear the colors, I do the whole thing.”
When Jimmy Fallon asked if her youngest son, Henry, was sad to be the only child left at home, Julia replied that while Henry missed his siblings, he also enjoyed being the sole kid at home, “I think it’s a good 50/50 split. He’s loving it. And I think he misses his people.”
She’s still a hands-on mom even though her kids are older.
Julia Roberts continues to be a hands-on mom. On the Today show, she expressed her gratitude for the ongoing involvement she has in their lives. “I parent them the same way out of the house that I parented them in the house,” the actress opened up. “Which is ’Are you getting enough sleep? You sound like you’re sick, are you drinking enough tea? Text me when you get home. I can see that you’re home safe and sound,’” Julia explained.
She continued, “And I have an immense amount of appreciation for both of my older kids because they still allow me to be the same mom to them, and it’s not eye-rolling. There’s a huge amount of understanding.”
Despite her busy schedule and the distance between them due to college, they stay connected through group calls.
She is grateful for finding work-life balance.
Julia has always valued finding a balance between work and family, and she’s grateful that she can often put her kids first. In an interview with British Vogue in 2024, Julia reflected on how achieving success early in her career allowed her to prioritize her family when her children were younger.
“I think that the luckiest aspect of my work life/family life is that the success of my work life came earlier. So by the time I had the success of my family life and had a husband and children who wanted to stay at home, I had been working for 18 years,” she said.
Julia expressed her deep gratitude for being able to pause work life to nurture her home life.
“I never force my son to say SORRY and THANK YOU — it could psychologically traumatize him,” a reader wrote to Bright Side to share her unique parenting style and to seek advice from other parents. She often faces criticism about her methods of upbringing and wants to know if other parents have had similar experiences.
My Brother Left His Newborn Son in My Yard 27 Years Ago – Two Days Ago, He Returned and Blamed Me for It
Twenty-seven years ago, my brother left his newborn son on my doorstep, disappearing without a trace. Now, just as my nephew has become the successful man I always hoped he’d be, my brother has returned, and he’s blaming me for everything.
I’ll never forget that morning 27 years ago. I opened the door, and there he was — a tiny baby bundled in a blanket so thin it barely covered his little body. The fabric was worn and frayed, not nearly enough to keep him warm on that chilly morning. He was lying in a basket, his face red from crying, his fists clenched tight.
A baby in a basket | Source: Midjourney
The street was quiet — too quiet. Just the eerie silence of the neighborhood waking up. The only sound left was the baby’s soft whimpers, weak now from crying so much. This helpless child abandoned on my porch — my nephew. I knew it instantly. There was no doubt. My brother had done this.
I knew it, just like I knew he wouldn’t be coming back. Tommy. Always running from his problems, always disappearing when things got hard. He hadn’t been seen for weeks, and now, in the dead of night, he had left his son on my doorstep like an unwanted package.
A woman holding a baby in a basket | Source: Midjourney
Carl was in the kitchen, making coffee when I stumbled back inside, still cradling the baby in my arms. I must have looked like a wreck because his face instantly changed when he saw me.
I could barely get the words out. “Tommy… he left him,” I said, my voice breaking. “He left his baby on our doorstep.”
Carl stared at me for a moment, processing what I had said. Then his gaze shifted to the baby, who had finally stopped crying but was still shivering in my arms. “Are you sure it’s his?” Carl asked though we both knew the answer.
A bewildered man with his coffee | Source: Midjourney
I nodded, tears starting to well up in my eyes. “He’s Tommy’s. I know it.”
Carl exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples. “We can’t keep him, Sarah. This isn’t our responsibility,” he said, his voice calm but firm, like he was trying to reason with me before I got too attached.
A man having a serious talk with his wife | Source: Midjourney
“But look at him,” I pleaded, holding the baby up just a little higher as if Carl could somehow see the desperation in my nephew’s eyes the way I could. “He’s so small, and he’s cold. He needs us.”
There was a long, heavy silence. Carl looked at the baby again, then at me. I could see the conflict in his eyes — he was trying to be logical, trying to protect us from making a decision that could change everything.
But I also knew he had a soft heart. He had always been that way, even when he tried to hide it.
A man looking at a baby in the basket | Source: Midjourney
We didn’t argue. We didn’t talk about it much more that day. We just did what needed to be done. We kept him. We fed him, bathed him, and found clothes that would fit him. And when the sun went down that night, we rocked him to sleep in our arms.
That was 27 years ago.
A family with a young baby boy | Source: Midjourney
Two days ago, he came over for dinner. He was in town for work and decided to stop by. As Michael and I sat down to dinner, I watched him closely, the way his posture was always straight, his manner of speaking careful and measured.
He was every bit the successful lawyer now. He’d just come from a case in Manhattan and told me about the long hours, the meetings, the deals he was closing. His eyes lit up when he talked about his work, and I couldn’t help but feel proud.
A young lawyer | Source: Pexels
But there was a space between us, always had been. Even as we sat together at the table, sharing a meal, I could feel the distance. I had raised him and sacrificed so much, but there was a line he never crossed.
He respected me and was polite, but the love — the real love a child has for their mother — was never there. I felt it in the way he never called me “Mom,” and how he was quick to offer thanks but never affection.
A man eating | Source: Pexels
“So, how long are you staying in town?” I asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
“Just a few days,” he said, cutting into his steak. “Got a lot on my plate right now. Big case coming up next month.”
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Well, we’re glad to have you here. Your dad and I—”
An elderly woman talking to her son | Source: Midjourney
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It was loud, almost urgent, pulling me out of my thoughts. Carl looked up from his seat, and Michael raised an eyebrow, confused. “Are you expecting someone?”
I shook my head, feeling a strange pit form in my stomach. “No, I’m not.”
I stood up, wiped my hands on the kitchen towel, and walked to the door. When I opened it, my heart nearly stopped.
A shocked elderly woman opening her door | Source: Midjourney
It was Tommy. After 27 years, my brother stood there, looking older, thinner, and worn down by life. His hair was gray, his face gaunt. He smelled like he hadn’t bathed in days, and his clothes were dirty and tattered.
“Sis,” he said, his voice rough. “It’s been a long time.”
I couldn’t speak. I just stared at him, the memories rushing back. The morning I found his baby on my doorstep, the years of wondering if he would ever come back. And now here he was, like a ghost from the past.
An elderly man | Source: Pexels
Michael stepped closer, his face puzzled. “Who is this?” he asked.
My throat tightened. “This… this is your father,” I finally said.
Michael’s eyes widened, and he turned to Tommy. “You’re my father?”
Tommy stepped forward, his voice growing louder. “Yeah, I’m your dad. I had no choice, son! I had to leave you, or you would’ve died. It’s all her fault!” He jabbed his finger in my direction.
An angry elderly man on the porch | Source: Midjourney
I felt my knees weaken. “Tommy, what are you talking about?” I stammered. “I raised him. I did what you couldn’t.”
Tommy’s face twisted with anger. “You never gave me the money I sent for his treatment! I trusted you to help, and you took everything from me. I was left with nothing!”
Michael looked between us, his expression hardening. “Is this true?” he asked, his voice low.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Michael, no, he’s lying! He never sent me money. He left you with me, and he disappeared!”
A shocked woman on her porch | Source: Midjourney
Tommy’s voice rose. “I was trying to get back on my feet! I was working, trying to send money, but she kept it all for herself. She ruined me!”
Michael’s hands balled into fists. “Is that why you left me? Because you were trying to send money?”
Tommy nodded, his eyes wild. “I had no choice, son! I had to go. But I came back for you now. I came back to fix things.”
A black and white photo of an elderly man | Source: Pexels
I felt the room spinning. My worst fear was playing out — losing Michael to the lies of a man who had abandoned him so long ago. “Michael, please,” I whispered. “You know me. You know I would never do that.”
For a moment, Michael was silent. Then he turned to Tommy, his voice calm but firm. “No,” he said. “I don’t believe you.”
Tommy blinked, stunned. “What?”
A man talking to his father | Source: Midjourney
“I don’t believe you,” Michael repeated, his voice louder now. “You didn’t send money. You didn’t try to come back. You left me on her doorstep, and she raised me. She’s the only mother I’ve ever known.”
Tommy’s face crumpled. “But I’m your father—”
“You’re not my father,” Michael interrupted, his voice steady. “You’re just a man who gave up on me. She never did.”
A serious man standing with his hands crossed | Source: Midjourney
Tommy stood there, speechless, as if the wind had been knocked out of him. He opened his mouth to speak but said nothing.
“You need to leave,” Michael said, his voice cold. “There’s no place for you here.”
Tommy’s shoulders slumped, and without another word, he turned and walked away. The door closed behind him, and the house fell silent.
An elderly man leaving the house | Source: Midjourney
I stood there, still trembling, unsure of what had just happened. Michael turned to me, his eyes softening for the first time in years.
“You’re my real mother,” he said, his voice quiet. “I’m sorry I never said it before, but you are. And I’m grateful for everything you’ve done. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.”
Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached out and hugged him, holding on tight. It was something I never thought I’d hear.
An elderly woman with her son | Source: Midjourney
After a long moment, Michael pulled back, a small smile on his face. “I have one more thing to tell you.”
“What is it?” I asked, wiping my tears.
He took a deep breath. “I bought a house near the ocean. It’s yours and Dad’s. I want you both to live there, to have something for yourselves. I’m covering everything.”
A house near the ocean | Source: Pexels
I stared at him, my heart swelling. “You… you did that for us?”
Michael nodded. “It’s the least I could do.”
And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had truly found my son.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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