Julia Roberts had veterinary aspirations

Julia Roberts wanted to be a vet. The Eat, Pray, Love actress used to dream of spending her life helping animals, but fell into acting because all her family work in the business.

“I wanted to be a vet. I love animals, but then I discovered how hard science can be. My parents and siblings are all actors, so I grew up around it,” she said.

Although she loves her career, the 42-year-old star admits she doesn’t think acting is a very difficult skill to master.

“It’s a great way to observe human behavior and how people react to things,” she said. “It’s like grown-up pretend. My daughter does it all day, I just get paid for it.”

As well as showing an interest in animals, Julia is also passionate about the environment.

“It’s probably my greatest concern, besides my babies,” she said. “My husband and I spend most of the year away from Hollywood in California, where we support Heal The Bay, a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping Southern California’s coastal waters clean.

“I also drive a biodiesel car and we compost everything. It’s a big commitment with three kids, but there’s so much valuable waste, you sort of have to.”