#1: Liam Neeson, The Beginning
Her Age: Early 20s
Julia Roberts met Liam Neeson in the late 1980s, when she was still finding her footing in Hollywood. She was fresh-faced, newly arrived, and moving between auditions with more hope than leverage. Neeson, already established, represented steadiness and seriousness in an industry that often felt chaotic.
Their paths crossed during a formative stretch for Roberts, before Pretty Woman reframed her life overnight. At this point, she was learning how relationships could blur with opportunity, admiration, and timing—especially when experience levels didn’t quite match.