Julia Roberts Delivers Cheeky Confession During Award Win With Luca Guadagnino

Awards ceremonies are organised with polish and poise. Julia Roberts brought something rarer. Honesty, humour, and a moment so human it instantly became the soul of the room.

At the Gotham Awards 2025 in New York, the Hollywood icon delivered one of the night's most memorable moments while accepting the prestigious Visionary Tribute alongside director Luca Guadagnino.

Her unscripted confession, delivered with a laugh and zero pretence, cut through the ceremony's formality and reminded the audience why Roberts remains one of cinema's most enduring presences.

The event took place on 1 December 2025 at Cipriani Wall Street, where the pair were honoured for their collaboration on After the Hunt.

Roberts Strutted Down the Red Carpet With Elegance

Julia Roberts arrived at the annual event alongside Luca Guadagnino. The Gotham Awards brought together key figures from Hollywood for a night of celebration and recognition.

Roberts turned heads in an oversized blue satin suit. She paired the look with black stilettos, and her wavy red hair fell loosely over her shoulders. The outfit balanced elegance with ease and reflected her relaxed confidence.

As the pair posed for photographers, their easy rapport was evident. It was a quiet preview of the warmth they would later bring to the stage.

Roberts Served as Guadagnino's Translator

After the red carpet, the focus shifted inside the venue. Roberts and Guadagnino were called on stage to accept the Visionary Tribute. The award was presented by Paul Rudd, who is a close friend of Roberts.

Roberts opened the speech with a playful twist. 'I not only had a great privilege of acting with Luca, but I will be acting as his interpreter,' she said. She then joked about translating Guadagnino's English remarks into Italian for the audience.

The crowd responded with laughter. The tone was immediately lighter and it set the stage for what followed.

Just as the audience settled in, Roberts surprised them again. She delivered a candid confession that drew even more laughter. 'I didn't realise how long this was gonna go on and I didn't regulate my water intake,' she quipped.

She then turned sincere. 'Paul, thank you for those kind words. Everyone that is here living their creative dreams, thank you for doing that in a world that seems to be crumbling. This is the tape and the glue that keeps it together,' she said. Roberts ended by sharing a personal note. 'One of my great dreams was to work with Luca Guadagnino, and now that I've done it once I just wanna keep on doing it.'

Gotham Praised Guadagnino and Roberts

The Gotham Film and Media Institute announced the honour ahead of the ceremony that The Visionary Tribute will be given to Roberts and Guadagnino for the pair's collaboration on 'After the Hunt'.

In a statement, the institute praised Guadagnino's emotionally expressive storytelling. It also highlighted Julia Roberts' performance as a defining element of the film. The recognition placed the project among the year's most talked-about releases.

Roberts plays Alma Imhoff in the psychological thriller. The character is a Yale University professor facing a professional and personal crisis. The plot follows Alma as a student who accuses one of her colleagues. The accusation threatens to expose a dark secret from her past.

Reflecting on the honour, Roberts spoke openly about the collaboration. 'I could not have imagined collaborating on this project with anyone other than Luca Guadagnino,' she said. She explained that trust between actor and director was essential. 'With Luca, it was a continuous and unfolding joy,' she added.

Casting Roberts Was 'Effortless' for Guadagnino

For Guadagnino, the decision to cast Roberts came naturally. He described his approach to choosing actors as emotional and instinctive.

'I only cast the actors and actresses I fall in love with,' he said. 'And now I love Julia Roberts.' He went on to praise her impact on film. 'She is everything. Julia Roberts is Cinema with a capital C.'

Guadagnino also reflected on seeing Roberts early in her career in 'Steel Magnolias'. He said her light had never dimmed. Instead, it had grown stronger over time. He added that he always believed they would work together one day.

Other Celebrities Honoured by Gotham

The Gotham Awards also honoured several other figures during the night. Jeremy Allen White and Scott Cooper received the Cultural Icon Tribute for 'Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere'.

Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman were awarded the Musical Tribute for 'Song Sung Blue'. Noah Baumbach received the Director Tribute for 'Jay Kelly'. Tessa Thompson was honoured with the Spotlight Tribute for 'Hedda'.

The Sinners cast received the Ensemble Tribute. 'Frankenstein' earned the Vanguard Tribute.

Together, the awards capped a night that blended celebration with memorable human moments.

In an industry built on performance, Julia Roberts won the night by simply being herself.