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First love is always special, and lucky are those whose first partners become their lasting ones. While many experience heartbreak in their first relationships, it often sets the stage for a deeper, more mature connection later in life. For After The Hunt actress Julia Roberts and cinematographer Danny Moder, this was certainly the case. Both were in relationships when they met, yet their spark led to a love story that has lasted over two decades.
How Julia Roberts and Danny Moder Met
Julia Roberts and Danny Moder crossed paths on the set of The Mexican (2001). Julia starred opposite Brad Pitt, while Danny worked as the film’s cameraman. At the time, Julia was dating Mother of the Bride actor Benjamin Bratt, and Danny was married to makeup artist Vera Steimberg. Despite their existing relationships, the pair felt an undeniable connection, and love slowly blossomed.
Dating After Previous Relationships
Julia and Danny waited until they had both ended their previous relationships to pursue each other. Julia split with Benjamin Bratt in June 2001, and Danny finalized his divorce from Vera Steimberg in early 2002. In a 2003 interview with The Oprah Magazine, Julia reflected on how sorting out their pasts allowed them to fully commit to one another:
“He sorted his whole thing out, separate and apart from me. And I sorted my life out, separate and apart from him. I think that’s the only reason we were able to ultimately fall in love with each other and be together.”
A Secret Wedding
On July 4, 2002, Julia and Danny tied the knot in a private, surprise ceremony at Roberts’ ranch in Taos, New Mexico. Guests reportedly thought they were attending an Independence Day party rather than a wedding. Julia herself had experienced marriage before, having been briefly married to Lyle Lovett after her relationship with Kiefer Sutherland, but that union ended in divorce.
Growing Their Family
Julia and Danny welcomed fraternal twins, Phinnaeus Walter and Hazel Patricia, on November 28, 2004, in Los Angeles. Their third child, Henry Daniel, was born on June 18, 2007. During her first pregnancy, Julia traveled to Italy to film Ocean’s 12, and recalling the experience on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, she said:
“I was pregnant for the first time, and you would have thought I was made of glass. They just wanted to dress me in cotton balls and usher me. It was really, really charming.”
Over two decades later, Julia and Danny continue to share a strong bond, balancing family life with thriving careers, proving that love found after heartbreak can truly last a lifetime.