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Julia Roberts has a very interesting connection with activist Martin Luther King Jr. – it turns out that the activist and his wife, Coretta Scott King, paid the hospital bill for the actress’s birth.
The Pretty Woman alum turns 55 today and in honor of her birthday, an old clip of her revealing that civil rights leaders helped cover her parents’ medical expenses after she was born has gone viral.
In an interview with Gayle King for A&E’s HISTORYTalks in September, the 55-year-old movie star revealed that her mother and father, Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts, had a close relationship with the Kings before she was born.
Julia Roberts has a very interesting connection with activist Martin Luther King Jr. – it turns out that the activist and his wife, Coretta Scott King, paid the hospital bill for the actress’s birth
In an interview with Gayle King for A&E’s HISTORYTalks in September, the 55-year-old movie star revealed that her mother and father had a close relationship with the Kings.
Julia’s parents, Betty Lou Bredemus (seen with Julia in 1993) and Walter Grady Roberts, started an acting school for children in Georgia — and MLK Jr. asked if his children could participate
Julia’s parents, successful actors and playwrights, had started their own drama school for children in Decatur, Georgia; and shortly after, MLK Jr. and his wife asked them if their children could come.
Although segregation had been banned years earlier, black children were still not allowed in many schools, so when Julia’s parents welcomed the Kings’ children with open arms, the couple was touched by their kindness.
Although segregation had been banned years earlier, black children were still not allowed in many schools, so when Julia’s parents welcomed the Kings’ children with open arms, the couple was touched by their kindness. The couple and their daughter, Yolanda, are seen in 1956
That’s why, when Betty and Walter gave birth to Julia in 1967 and struggled to pay the medical bills, the political figure and his wife stepped in to help.
“The King family paid my hospital bills. My parents couldn’t pay the hospital bill,” Julia told Gayle.
“My parents had a theater school in Atlanta, the Actors and Writers Workshop,” she continued.
And one day Coretta Scott King called my mom and asked if her kids could be part of the school because they were having a hard time finding a place her kids could. And my mother said, “Of course. Come by.” And so they all just became friends and helped us out of trouble.’
Gayle pointed out that things were still very segregated at the time, as racism was rampant in the 1960s in America.
That’s why, when Betty and Walter gave birth to Julia in 1967 and struggled to pay the medical bills, the political figure and his wife (pictured in 1964) stepped in to help.
‘[The Kings] called my mother. They had a hard time finding a place where the kids would come. And my mother said: “Of course. Come over,” said Julia, seen as a child
“In the ’60s in drama school, you didn’t have black kids interacting with white kids,” Gayle told Julia in the interview. ‘And your parents said, ‘Come in.’ That’s extraordinary’
“In the ’60s, in drama school, you didn’t have little black kids interacting with white kids,” she said.
Observ.com previously reported that Julia’s father, Walter, was the personal acting coach of Martin and Coretta’s eldest daughter, Yolanda King, who later became a well-known actress. She can be seen in 2005
‘And your parents said, ‘Come in.’ I think that’s extraordinary. And it kind of lays the foundation for who you are.’
“Absolutely,” Julia agreed.
Observ.com previously reported that Julia’s father, Walter, was the personal acting coach of Martin and Coretta’s oldest daughter, Yolanda King, who went on to become a well-known actress, appearing in such films as Fluke, Ghosts of Mississippi, Drive By: A Love Story, Funny Valentines, and The Secret Path, among others.
The outlet added that Yolanda had some trouble in school because of her skin color, especially when she was cast in 1965 as a white actor’s romantic interest in a play.
According to the publication, someone in town – a former member of the Ku Klux Klan – became so enraged when they kissed that he “blew” a car outside the theater before yelling and throwing things at the actors on stage.
The boy who played her love interest, named Phillip Depoy, later opened up about the incident in an interview with… ArtsAtl.Org.
The outlet added that Yolanda (seen as a baby) was having difficulties in school because of her skin color, especially when she was cast as a white actor’s romantic interest in a play in 1965.
According to the publication, someone in the city became so enraged when they kissed that he “blew” a car outside the theater, before shouting and throwing things at the actors.
“The most startling thing about it was that most people in the parking lot reacted very mildly,” he recalls.
“The car belched, then started to burn, and most people looked that way and then back to the stage.
“So there was a car on fire. It was not a first for that particular parking lot. If the Klansman hadn’t been an idiot and drunk, he might have escaped without being identified.
“Instead, he chose to shout things to the stage. Then he threw his beer bottle at the car to make it burn better.
“The cops who had been watching the show just walked up to him, spoke to him, handcuffed him and took him away with very little energy.
Yolanda and I stared at each other. [Walter] came to the side of the stage and said something to the crowd.
‘I couldn’t hear what it was, but almost everyone laughed and some applauded. Then he turned to us and said, “And the next line is?”’