Julia Roberts is renowned for her luminous screen presence and wide-ranging roles across genres. In 2013, she delivered one of her most acclaimed performances in August: Osage County, a film adaptation of Tracy Letts’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Rather than the glamorous look she is often associated with, Roberts adopted a starkly naturalistic style to portray Barbara Weston, showcasing her versatility and commitment to character.
Context and Production Background
August: Osage County is a darkly comic drama directed by John Wells. The screenplay, written by Tracy Letts himself, remains faithful to the award-winning stage production that debuted in 2007 at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre and then moved to Broadway, winning the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play (Source: Pulitzer.org, TonyAwards.com).
The film was shot primarily in Bartlesville and Pawhuska, Oklahoma, in 2012, and was released in limited theaters in December 2013 before a wider release in January 2014 (Source: IMDb).
Plot Overview
Set in rural Oklahoma, August: Osage County revolves around the dysfunctional Weston family reuniting after the disappearance and subsequent death of the patriarch, Beverly Weston (played by Sam Shepard). The matriarch, Violet Weston (Meryl Streep), is battling cancer and addiction to prescription drugs. Roberts’s Barbara Weston is the eldest daughter, estranged but forced back home with her own family to deal with the family crisis.
This complex dynamic explores themes of generational trauma, addiction, secrets, and the struggle for control, with sharp, witty dialogue that retains much of the play’s original tone (Source: The Guardian).
Julia Roberts’s Performance as Barbara Weston
In a marked departure from her usual roles, Roberts portrayed Barbara with raw intensity. She wore deliberately understated costumes: jeans, layered shirts, muted colors, and sensible shoes. Her hair was often pulled back in a simple ponytail—choices that reflected Barbara’s exhaustion and emotional turmoil rather than Hollywood polish.
Costume designer Karen Patch worked with Roberts to achieve this stripped-down, authentic look, grounding the character in realism to match the Oklahoma setting and the story’s emotional weight (Source: Los Angeles Times).
Critics widely praised Roberts’s performance for its force and nuance. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, marking one of the most critically lauded roles of her career (Source: Oscars.org).
Cast and Roles
The ensemble cast of August: Osage County brought together prominent actors who embodied the play’s richly drawn, flawed characters:
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Meryl Streep as Violet Weston, the acerbic, drug-dependent matriarch. Streep’s performance earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
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Julia Roberts as Barbara Weston, the eldest daughter struggling to keep the family together.
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Ewan McGregor as Bill Fordham, Barbara’s estranged husband.
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Abigail Breslin as Jean Fordham, Barbara’s teenage daughter.
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Juliette Lewis as Karen Weston, the youngest sister with her own secrets.
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Chris Cooper as Charles Aiken, Violet’s brother-in-law.
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Benedict Cumberbatch as Little Charles Aiken, Charles and Mattie Fae’s vulnerable son.
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Margo Martindale as Mattie Fae Aiken, Violet’s sharp-tongued sister.
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Dermot Mulroney as Steve Huberbrecht, Karen’s fiancé.
Originally, Andrea Riseborough was attached to the role of Karen Weston but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Juliette Lewis was then cast in the role (Source: The Hollywood Reporter).
Chloë Grace Moretz reportedly auditioned for Jean Fordham, but the role ultimately went to Abigail Breslin (Source: IMDb Trivia).
Filming in Oklahoma
Much of the movie was filmed in and around Bartlesville, Oklahoma, chosen for its authentic representation of the rural Great Plains. The crew used local homes and landscapes to reinforce the sense of a generational family home weighed down by history and secrets.
Bartlesville has a history as a film-friendly location, offering tax incentives to productions and preserving architectural details appropriate to the film’s setting (Source: Oklahoma Film + Music Office).
Reception and Awards
August: Osage County premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2013 to a strong reception, particularly for its performances. While reviews were mixed on the adaptation’s faithfulness to the play’s tone—some felt it softened the story’s darker edges—the acting was nearly universally praised.
At the 86th Academy Awards, the film earned two nominations:
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Best Actress for Meryl Streep
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Best Supporting Actress for Julia Roberts
The film also received nominations at the Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards, reflecting the ensemble’s strength (Sources: Oscars.org, Golden Globes).
Julia Roberts’s Career Impact
Roberts’s turn in August: Osage County is often highlighted as evidence of her range beyond romantic comedies and mainstream drama. The role of Barbara Weston demanded vulnerability, anger, and exhaustion. Many critics cited it as one of the boldest performances of her career, underscoring her evolution from America’s Sweetheart into a seasoned dramatic actress (Source: RogerEbert.com).
Legacy of the Play and Adaptation
Tracy Letts’s August: Osage County remains one of the most celebrated American plays of the early 21st century, often compared to works by Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neill for its portrayal of family dysfunction and dark humor.
The film adaptation brought the play to a global audience and, despite debates over its translation to screen, introduced Letts’s characters to viewers who may never have seen the stage production. It also served as a showcase for ensemble acting, with Roberts’s performance as Barbara Weston standing out among its many highlights.
Conclusion
Julia Roberts’s work in August: Osage County represents a significant moment in her career, demonstrating her willingness to tackle unglamorous, emotionally demanding roles. Backed by a stellar cast and faithful to Tracy Letts’s Pulitzer-winning text, the film remains a compelling exploration of family tensions, anchored by Roberts’s nuanced and powerful performance.
Sources for Verification:
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IMDb: August: Osage County
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Oscars.org – 86th Academy Awards
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Pulitzer.org – 2008 Drama Winner
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TonyAwards.com – 2008 Winners
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Los Angeles Times – Costume Design
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Oklahoma Film + Music Office
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RogerEbert.com
