Twenty-nine years. That’s how long it’s been since Julianne Potter tried to ruin a 20-year-old’s life over a sportswriter with questionable boundaries. If you haven’t revisited the Julia Roberts Cameron Diaz movie, My Best Friend’s Wedding, lately, you probably remember it as a bubbly '90s staple. A "comfort" watch. You remember the singing lobsters and the lavender bridesmaid dress.
But honestly? This movie is a horror film where the villain has a megawatt smile.
We talk about the "Golden Age" of rom-coms like it was all meet-cutes and rainy reunions. This wasn't that. When P.J. Hogan dropped this in 1997, he basically handed the audience a Trojan horse. It looked like a standard Julia Roberts vehicle, but inside was a messy, chain-smoking anti-heroine who fails at everything she touches. It’s brilliant. It’s also kinda dark if you really pay attention to the subtext.
The Casting Coup That Changed Everything
Julia Roberts was already the queen of the box office by the mid-90s, but she wasn't just the lead here. She was a powerhouse. Most people don't realize she actually had a massive say in the casting. She hand-picked Dermot Mulroney. She also advocated for a relatively unknown actress named Cameron Diaz to play Kimmy Wallace.
Think about that for a second.
At the time, Diaz had only really done The Mask. She was the "new girl." Roberts, the established titan, chose the perfect foil: a woman so genuinely sweet and "preternaturally good-natured" that Julianne’s attempts to destroy her feel like kicking a golden retriever.
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It was a genius move. If Kimmy had been a "mean girl" or a corporate shark, we would’ve rooted for Julianne. Instead, we got a 20-year-old college student who just wanted to finish her degree and love her fiancé. It made Julianne’s "psychotic jealousy"—a line famously delivered by Rupert Everett—feel real. It felt earned.
That Karaoke Scene Was Real Terror
We have to talk about the karaoke. It’s the centerpiece of the Julia Roberts Cameron Diaz movie dynamic. Julianne drags Kimmy onto that stage specifically because she knows Kimmy can't sing. She wants to humiliate her. She wants Michael to see his fiancée as a bumbling, tone-deaf child.
The kicker? Cameron Diaz was actually terrified.
Director P.J. Hogan shot that scene live. No studio dubbing. No "movie magic" to fix the vocals. Diaz has since admitted she was dying inside, and you can see it in her eyes. She’s looking at Dermot Mulroney for support because she was genuinely panicking. But the audience in the film (and the one in the theater) didn't laugh at her. They fell for her.
That’s the moment the movie flips. Julianne thinks she’s winning, but she’s actually cementing Kimmy as the hero of the story. It’s one of the few times in cinema history where being terrible at something makes a character more iconic.
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The Ending That Test Audiences Hated
There's a version of this movie in an alternate universe where Julianne wins. Or, at least, where she meets a handsome stranger at the end and gets a "consolation prize" romance. In the original script, she was supposed to dance with a character played by John Corbett.
The test audiences absolutely loathed it.
They didn't want Julianne to be rewarded. They felt she hadn't earned a happy romantic ending after trying to forge emails and manipulate a wedding. So, the filmmakers did something radical. They called back Rupert Everett.
They filmed that final scene where George shows up at the wedding reception. "Maybe there won't be marriage... but by God, there will be dancing." It shifted the entire point of the film. It wasn't about finding a man; it was about the value of platonic love. George is the only person who calls Julianne on her nonsense, and he's the only one who stays when the dust settles.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
You've probably heard the rumors. In late 2025, news broke that a sequel is officially in the works. Celine Song—the mastermind behind Past Lives—is reportedly attached to the script. Luca Guadagnino has even mentioned he’d direct it in a heartbeat.
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Why now? Because we’re obsessed with the "what happened next" of it all.
Did Michael and Kimmy actually stay together? Dermot Mulroney thinks so. He’s gone on record saying they were the "right" match. But fans on Reddit and film critics are more skeptical. Michael was kind of a red flag himself, wasn't he? He expected his 20-year-old wife to drop out of school to follow him around for his sportswriting career. Not exactly a feminist fairy tale.
And then there's Julianne. Is she still a food critic? Is she still smoking in hotel hallways? Seeing Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz share a screen again would be the ultimate nostalgia hit, but only if the sequel keeps the original's bite.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often group this with Pretty Woman or Notting Hill. It’s not them. Those are about the dream. My Best Friend’s Wedding is about the wake-up call. It’s a deconstruction of the genre that manages to be a perfect example of the genre at the same time.
- It’s not a love story between a man and a woman. It’s a story about a woman learning she isn't the center of the universe.
- The "villain" is the protagonist. We usually see the "other woman" as a caricature. Here, we are the other woman.
- The music isn't just filler. Every Burt Bacharach song is used to highlight how out of sync Julianne is with the "romantic" world around her.
If you’re planning a rewatch, pay attention to the ferry scene in Chicago. The fans were actually screaming Julia Roberts' name from the bridges during filming, making it nearly impossible to capture that intimate moment. It’s a reminder of just how massive her stardom was—and why playing such an "unlikeable" character was such a risk for her.
Your Next Steps for the Ultimate Rewatch
If you want to experience the Julia Roberts Cameron Diaz movie with fresh eyes, try these three things:
- Watch George, not Julianne. Rupert Everett’s performance is a masterclass in being the "moral compass" while also being the funniest person in the room.
- Look at the color palette. Notice how Kimmy is almost always in bright, optimistic tones while Julianne is often in grays, blacks, or that sharp lavender that feels almost like armor.
- Listen to the lyrics. "I Say a Little Prayer" isn't just a fun singalong. It’s a song about devotion that Julianne literally cannot provide because she’s too focused on her own ego.
Go find it on streaming tonight. It’s more than just a 90s relic; it’s a reminder that sometimes, the best ending is the one where you don't get what you want, but you get exactly what you need.