Honestly, the way people talk about Julia Roberts usually stays in one of two lanes. There’s the "America’s Sweetheart" lane where we all just want her to laugh that big, iconic laugh in a rom-com. Then there’s the "serious Oscar winner" lane where she’s fighting the big bad corporation. But with her most recent movie, After the Hunt, released in late 2025, she basically drove the car off the road and into a very dark, very messy forest.
It's a thriller. But not the kind with jump scares or masked killers.
Luca Guadagnino, the guy who gave us Challengers and Call Me by Your Name, directed this one, and he didn't go easy on her. Julia plays Alma, a high-level university professor who’s basically the queen of her ivory tower. Everything is great until one of her star students, played by the incredible Ayo Edebiri, drops a bomb: she accuses one of Alma's colleagues (Andrew Garfield) of sexual misconduct.
Here's the twist that most people miss when they first watch it. The movie isn't just about "did he do it?" It's actually about Alma’s own past and the secrets she’s buried to keep her career intact.
The After the Hunt Controversy No One Expected
When After the Hunt hit theaters in October 2025, the internet basically melted. People were expecting a straightforward #MeToo drama. Instead, they got a psychological labyrinth where nobody is exactly a "good guy."
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Alma isn't the hero we’re used to. She’s prickly. She’s kind of cold. At one point in the film, Edebiri’s character literally slaps her—a moment that apparently was so tense to film that Ayo was terrified of doing it. Can you blame her? You don’t just walk up and slap Julia Roberts unless the script absolutely demands it.
The film currently sits at a divisive spot with critics. Some say it's too "intellectual" or "muddy." But that’s sort of the point. Guadagnino isn't interested in giving us a clean ending where the bad guy goes to jail and everyone lives happily ever after. He’s interested in how we use our brains to lie to ourselves.
Why Julia Roberts’ Performance Is Driving the Conversation
Critics like Guy Lodge at Variety have called this her best work since Erin Brockovich. That’s a huge claim. But if you see the movie, you get it.
She uses her face differently here. There are these long, lingering shots where she’s just listening, and you can see the gears turning as she realizes her world is about to implode. It’s a masterclass in "acting without acting."
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A lot of the buzz around After the Hunt comes from the "generational war" happening on screen. You’ve got Andrew Garfield representing the old-school academic elite who think they’re untouchable, and Ayo Edebiri representing a younger generation that is done playing by those rules. Roberts is stuck in the middle, trying to protect her legacy while realizing she might be on the wrong side of history.
What Really Happened with the After the Hunt Ending?
Spoilers ahead, obviously. The ending of After the Hunt left audiences in the lobby of the cinema arguing for hours. Does Alma actually believe the student? Or is she just protecting her friend?
The brilliance of the screenplay by Nora Garrett is that it stays ambiguous. Roberts herself has been pretty cagey in interviews about it. She told Gayle King on CBS Mornings that she wouldn't reveal what she thinks the "truth" is because that would be a "disservice" to the audience. She wants us to feel that same discomfort her character feels.
There’s a secret from Alma’s past involving a relationship she had with a teacher when she was younger. The movie suggests that Alma has reframed her own trauma as a "love story" to survive, and when she sees this new accusation, it threatens to shatter that delusion. It’s heavy stuff.
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Where Does Julia Roberts Go From Here?
If you’re feeling a bit depressed after the heavy themes of After the Hunt, there’s some "light at the end of the tunnel" news.
During the 2026 Golden Globes, Julia basically confirmed that the gang is getting back together for Ocean’s 14. Yeah, you read that right. After decades, Tess Ocean is coming back.
She mentioned she’s already read a script by Carrie Solomon and was "surprised" by how good it was. It sounds like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and the rest of the crew are all locked in. It’s the perfect palate cleanser after the psychological intensity of her recent work.
What you should do next:
- Watch After the Hunt on Amazon MGM Studios: If you haven't seen it, go in expecting a slow-burn thriller, not an action movie. Pay attention to the way the camera follows Julia; it’s almost like a character itself.
- Look for the "Easter Eggs": There are several references to Roberts' older films hidden in the costume design—specifically the neutral tones that mirror her Notting Hill era, but in a much "colder" context.
- Revisit Leave the World Behind: If you want to see the bridge between "America's Sweetheart" and the "Prickly Academic," her 2023 Netflix hit is the perfect setup for where she is now as an actress.
Julia Roberts is in her "unfiltered" era. She isn't afraid to be unlikeable anymore, and honestly? It’s the most interesting she’s been in twenty years.