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.
Our Dad Asked the Whole Family to Buy Mom Kitchen Utensils for Christmas as She’s a ‘Horrible Cook’ — We Decided to Outplay Him
When my brother and I overheard Dad calling Mom “lazy” and mocking her cooking, we knew we couldn’t let it slide. What started as a Christmas gift list turned into a clever plot to teach him a lesson he’d never forget.
I never thought I’d say this, but my family’s Christmas this year felt straight out of a sitcom, except, you know, the kind that makes you grind your teeth first.
A smiling young girl sitting in her room | Source: Midjourney
My name’s Stella, I’m fourteen, and my life’s a mix of biology homework, arguing with my sixteen-year-old brother Seth, and trying to keep my sneakers white in a house that’s spotless only because Mom makes sure of it.
My mom is the glue holding us together. She works full-time, does all the laundry and house-cleaning, and still finds the energy to help Seth with his physics projects that, let’s face it, are basically black holes with glitter glue.
A tired-looking woman sits down to rest after doing the house chores | Source: Midjourney
Dad, on the other hand, considers himself the “man of the house,” which is just a fancy title for doing nothing and watching old action movies. I’m not saying I don’t love him—I do—but he’s a “feet-up, channel-surfing, and passing-commentary-on-everything” kind of guy.
But then Christmas happened, and now Seth and I can’t forget what we heard.
It was two weeks before Christmas, and Seth and I were sneaking through the hallway looking for Mom’s stash of wrapped presents.
Beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts with festive ribbons | Source: Pexels
Instead, we caught Dad on the phone with his brother, Uncle Nick. His voice was loud enough to carry through the closed door.
“What to get, Lily?” Dad said, laughing like he was sharing a joke. “Bro, only kitchen stuff. Mixers, blenders, utensils—you know, stuff that’ll make her actually useful in the kitchen. She’s soooo lazy in there.”
I felt my stomach twist. Lazy? Was he kidding? Mom barely sits down. Seth shot me a glance, his jaw clenched. He whispered, “Dad can’t be serious.”
A teenage boy looks surprised and upset | Source: Midjourney
But Dad wasn’t done. “I’m just saying, if she had better gadgets, maybe she wouldn’t be such a horrible cook. It’s not like she’s great at it anyway.”
It felt like the world had tilted sideways. Seth and I weren’t the type to agree on much, but in that moment, we didn’t need words. We had a plan before we even left the hallway.
On Christmas morning, the living room smelled like pine and cookies. Mom had been up since dawn baking, her hair tied in that messy bun she swore was “practical” but always looked perfect.
A closeup shot of a woman decorating a home-backed cupcake with cream | Source: Pexels
She kept refilling the coffee pot and handing out mugs while Dad lounged by the fire, sipping his hot chocolate like he hadn’t just insulted her existence two weeks ago.
The whole family of 12—grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles—sat in a circle by the tree. Seth and I perched on the couch, biting our lips to keep from grinning too early. One by one, the gifts were unwrapped. The usual stuff: socks, gift cards, and ugly sweaters that no one wanted but everyone pretended to love.
A closeup shot of a woman holding Christmas socks lying a red gift box | Source: Pexels
Then it was Dad’s turn.
Aunt Patricia handed him the first box. “This one’s from me, Tanner,” she said with a sweet smile.
Dad tore off the paper and blinked. “Oh. A fishing rod. Nice.”
“It’s not just nice—it’s top of the line,” Aunt Patricia said, grinning widely “Thought you’d love it.”
Dad chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah… I do. Thanks.”
But then Seth passed him another box. “Here, Dad. From me.”
Another fishing rod. Dad frowned but forced a smile. “Uh… thanks, son. Really thoughtful.”
A man forcing a smile | Source: Midjourney
I handed him mine next. “Merry Christmas, Dad!” I chirped, sounding as innocent as possible.
He unwrapped it slowly, probably hoping for a wallet or something practical.
His face fell. “Another one?” He laughed nervously. “Wow. Three is a charm, huh?”
Uncle Nick was next, followed by Aunt Claire and even Grandpa. Each gift was the same: a fishing rod. By the time the fifth one was opened, Dad’s smile had turned into a twitching scowl.
“Wait a minute,” he said, his voice rising. “What the hell is this? Fishing rods? Who needs this many fishing rods?”
A closeup shots of fishing rods lying in a living room | Source: Midjourney
Meanwhile, Mom’s laughter echoed through the living room as she unwrapped the beautifully wrapped designer purse. Seth and I watched as her face lit up, glowing as brightly as the Christmas lights strung around the room.
“Oh my gosh, this purse is beautiful! How did you all know I wanted it?” she asked, running her fingers over the smooth leather.
Uncle Nick grinned from his spot near the fireplace. “We had help. The kids sent us a wishlist.”
A man grins while looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
Mom’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked like she might cry. “You two did this?” she whispered, glancing between me and Seth.
We nodded in unison, trying to keep our cool. Seth shrugged, but his grin gave him away. “You deserve it, Mom.”
Her voice broke a little. “Thank you. Both of you. This is the best Christmas I’ve had in years.”
A woman gets happy and emotional while being surrounded by Christmas presents | Source: Midjourney
I won’t lie, hearing her say that made every second of planning worth it.
Rewind to two weeks ago. Seth and I were furious after overhearing Dad call Mom “lazy” and a “horrible cook.” It was like a switch flipped inside us. That night, we stayed up in Seth’s room, sketching out what we called “Operation Outplay.”
“Okay,” I said, pacing his cluttered room. “First, we need to stop this kitchen gadget nonsense. Mom doesn’t even like cooking; she does it because she has to.”
A thoughtful young girl | Source: Midjourney
Seth leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “And then we make Dad eat his words. Literally, if we can.”
I smirked. “Let’s start with an email.”
Together, we drafted a message to every family member who had planned to join us for Christmas. The email was simple but clear:
“Hi, this is Stella and Seth. We need your help to make this Christmas special for Mom. Dad asked you to get her kitchen stuff, but we think she deserves better. Here’s a wishlist of gifts she’ll actually love and cherish…”
A young girl smiles while using her laptop | Source: Midjourney
We listed things Mom had quietly admired but never bought for herself: that designer bag she had been longing to buy for as long as we could remember, a spa day gift card, her favorite skincare products, a personalized necklace with our names engraved, and the cozy reading chair she’d been eyeing for her tiny library.
We added one final touch. “Instead of getting Dad what he asked for, please buy him fishing rods. As many as possible. Trust us—it’s part of the plan.”
A young girl smiling triumphantly | Source: Midjourney
The responses rolled in almost immediately. Aunt Patricia wrote back, “Count me in! Lily works so hard, and I’m happy to help.” Grandpa added, “Fishing rod it is. This will be fun!” By the end of the week, every family member was on board.
***
Fast forward to Christmas morning. After Dad’s meltdown over the mountain of fishing rods, Mom’s gifts kept coming. The personalized necklace brought tears to her eyes. “It’s beautiful,” she said, clutching it to her chest. “Thank you, everyone.”
A heart-shaped necklace with the initials “SS” engraved on it | Source: Midjourney
Seth handed her the next box, a spa day gift card. “You need a break, Mom. Go get pampered for once.”
She laughed through her tears. “You two are amazing.”
Meanwhile, Dad was fuming in his armchair, surrounded by his growing pile of fishing rods. His face was a blend of confusion and annoyance. “Will someone please tell me what this nonsense is? Fishing rods? Like, seriously? I don’t even fish!”
Uncle Nick leaned forward, grinning. “We thought you’d want to start, dear brother. You know, since Lily puts so much effort into cooking for you.”
A mean grinning widely | Source: Midjourney
That was the spark that lit the fire.
“This is ridiculous!” Dad snapped, his voice rising. “Where’s all the stuff I told you to get for Lily? The kitchen gadgets? She needs those!”
Mom froze, her smile fading. “You told everyone to get me kitchen stuff?” she asked, her tone sharp.
Seth crossed his arms. “Yeah, Dad said you were ‘lazy in the kitchen’ and needed gadgets to cook faster. We figured you deserved better.”
Dad’s face turned a deep shade of red. “You two—! That’s not what I meant!”
An angry man | Source: Midjourney
“Oh really, Dad?” Seth shot back. “Because it sure sounded like that when you were whining to Uncle Nick about how Mom’s ‘too tired to cook for you.’”
The room went silent. All eyes were on Dad.
Mom’s voice trembled, but it wasn’t from sadness, it was anger. “So, all this time, you’ve been complaining about me behind my back? And the kids had to step in because you couldn’t appreciate me? You’re impossible, Tanner!”
Dad stammered, “I—I was joking!”
“That’s funny,” Mom said, crossing her arms. “Because I’m not laughing.”
An upset woman standing with her arms crossed | Source: Midjourney
Seth leaned toward me and whispered, “Mom’s about to go nuclear.”
“Good,” I whispered back.
Mom stood, grabbed one of the fishing rods, and placed it firmly in Dad’s lap. “Here. You’ll have plenty of time to ‘joke’ while you’re learning to fish with your new toys.”
Dad opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. He slumped back in his chair, defeated.
A man sitting back in his chair looking defeated | Source: Midjourney
The rest of the day was perfect. Mom basked in the love and attention from everyone, while Dad sulked in the corner. That evening, as the chaos died down, Mom pulled Seth and me into a tight hug.
“You two have no idea how much this means to me,” she said softly. “I don’t need fancy things, but knowing you see how hard I work—it’s everything.”
“Of course we see it, Mom,” I said. “We just wanted you to know that we appreciate you. For everything that you’ve done for us.”
A young girl smiling softly | Source: Midjourney
Seth added, “And we wanted Dad to realize it too. He’ll think twice before calling you lazy again.”
Mom laughed, wiping her eyes. “Gosh! I love you both so much! You are the best. And your plan? Genius. I’m so proud of you, Seth and Stella.”
And the fishing rods? Let’s just say they weren’t gifts; they were a lesson. One Dad wouldn’t forget anytime soon. For starters, he never dared call Mom “lazy” again. Safe to say, our plan worked better than we could’ve hoped, don’t you think?
A teenage boy and girl smile triumphantly | Source: Midjourney
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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