World on FIRE

Disaster strikes as Julia Roberts is caught up in a dystopian nightmare on a family vacation

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Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts’ career has taken an intriguing television detour in recent years, thanks largely to her collaborations with director Sam Esmail on psychological thriller Homecoming and Watergate drama Gaslit.

Now, in the new Netflix film Leave the World Behind, the duo reunite to bring Rumaan Alam’s acclaimed 2020 novel of the same name to life.

In a role that’s far removed from the rom-com characters that made her a movie icon, Roberts plays cynical, self-confessed misanthrope Amanda Sandford, a hard-bitten New York advertising executive.

‘The main reason I took on this role, aside from wanting to work with Sam again, was the challenge,’ says Roberts, 56, whose credits include Pretty Woman, Notting Hill and