Julia Roberts is best known for her work on the big screen, but she has also done some TV work, and one of her best performances can be found in a Prime Video thriller show. Julia Roberts is one of the most popular and successful actresses of her generation, whose career saw a huge boost in the 1990s in different rom-coms.
On TV, Julia Roberts’ debut was in one episode of Miami Vice in 1988, followed by the TV movies Baja Oklahoma and Before Your Eyes: Angelie’s Secret. In 1996, Roberts had one of the best guest appearances on Friends as Susie Moss, and after appearing as herself in one episode of Murphy Brown, she played Katrin Ludlow in an episode of Law & Order.
After that, Roberts mostly served as narrator, presenter, or appeared as herself in other TV projects. In 2018, Roberts executive-produced and starred in the psychological thriller series Homecoming, which now ranks among her best performances.
Julia Roberts Plays A Social Worker Who Helps Soldiers In Homecoming
Based on the scripted podcast of the same name by Gimlet Media, which starred Catherine Keener, Oscar Isaac, and David Schwimmer, Homecoming was developed by Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg. Homecoming premiered on Prime Video in 2018, running for two seasons and ending in 2020.
Homecoming follows Heidi Bergman (Roberts), a social worker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center, run by the Geist Group. Homecoming is a live-in facility that helps soldiers transition to civilian life, but four years later, Heidi is no longer working there. Heidi now makes a living as a waitress, lives with her mother, and has no memories of her time at Homecoming.
When Thomas Carrasco (Shea Whigham), a U.S. Department of Defense auditor, begins to investigate Homecoming and Heidi’s departure, she starts to remember her time there and how she was misled about the true purpose of the facility. At the time of writing, Homecoming holds a 98% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Why Homecoming Features One Of Roberts’ Best Performances
Homecoming has been praised for its story, tone, production value, and themes, but mostly for Julia Roberts’ performance. Roberts is best known for her charming, light-hearted characters, though she has also shown her range in more complex and deeper characters, but Homecoming went beyond what Roberts had done so far.
Roberts brilliantly brought to life the struggles and complexities of the character as she goes through trauma, PTSD, and a lot of emotional damage while having to confront those who put her through so much distress. It’s a completely different Julia Roberts from her previous works, allowing the audience to follow her journey and empathize with her, making Homecoming a deep and complex experience.
The Equally Talented Janelle Monae Takes Over In Homecoming Season 2
Julia Roberts only led Homecoming during its first season, as the second one told a different story. Homecoming season 2 starred Janelle Monáe as Jacqueline Calico, a woman who wakes up in a boat, floating in the middle of a lake. Jackie has no memory of who she is and how she got there, but she’s rescued by a park ranger.
With the help of a fellow patient at the hospital, Jackie looks for answers, and she suspects that The Geist Group might be involved. Although Homecoming season 2 wasn’t as well-received as the first season, it’s worth watching thanks to Monáe’s performance, and the show as a whole is engaging.
