It is 2026, and somehow, we are still talking about the cast of Eat Pray Love movie. You’d think a film from 2010 about a woman eating pasta and crying in ashrams would’ve faded into the background by now. But it hasn’t. Why? Mostly because the casting was weirdly perfect, even the parts people complained about at the time.
Honestly, when Julia Roberts signed on to play Liz Gilbert, it was a massive deal. She was coming off a bit of a break from "big" movies. People weren't sure if the "America’s Sweetheart" vibe would translate to a woman having a mid-life identity crisis on three different continents.
Spoiler: it did.
The Big Three: Roberts, Franco, and Bardem
You can’t talk about the cast of Eat Pray Love movie without starting at the top.
Julia Roberts basically is the movie. If she hadn't been able to make us care about a wealthy New Yorker complaining about her life while eating world-class pizza in Naples, the whole thing would have collapsed.
Reports from back in the day suggest Roberts took a pay cut to do this—well, a "pay cut" in her world, meaning somewhere under $10 million instead of her usual $20 million. She also famously gained about 10 pounds filming the "Eat" portion in Italy. That’s commitment to the bit.
Then you’ve got the men who represent the different "stages" of Liz’s messiness:
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- James Franco (David): He played the "rebound" guy. The young, sexy, yoga-doing actor in New York who Liz falls for right after her divorce. Franco was in his peak "I'm a serious actor but also a heartthrob" era here.
- Javier Bardem (Felipe): This was the controversial one. Bardem is Spanish. His character, Felipe, is based on José Nunes, a Brazilian man. At the time, people were annoyed that a Spaniard was playing a Brazilian, and honestly, his accent was a bit of a giveaway. But his chemistry with Roberts? Incredible.
- Billy Crudup (Stephen): He played the husband Liz leaves. It’s a thankless role, really. He has to be lovable enough that we feel bad for him, but boring enough that we understand why she’s running away.
The MVP: Richard from Texas
If you ask any die-hard fan who the best person in the cast of Eat Pray Love movie is, they won't say Julia. They’ll say Richard Jenkins.
He played "Richard from Texas," the guy Liz meets at the ashram in India. In real life, Richard was a huge part of Elizabeth Gilbert’s journey. Jenkins played him with this weary, soulful honesty that ground the movie when it was getting a bit too "spiritual-vacation."
He’s the one who tells her, "You have to learn how to select your thoughts the same way you select your clothes every day."
Jenkins has since gone on to do massive things, like playing Lionel Dahmer in that Netflix series, but for a lot of us, he’s always going to be the guy at the ashram telling Liz to get over herself.
Viola Davis and the "New York" Crew
Before she was winning every award on the planet, Viola Davis played Delia, Liz’s best friend.
It’s actually wild to rewatch the movie now and see Viola Davis in such a grounded, supporting role. She provides the "voice of reason" back in New York. While Liz is off finding herself, Delia is dealing with a baby and a real life.
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There's a scene where Delia tells Liz that she's started to look like whoever she's dating—first her husband, then David. It’s one of the smartest lines in the script.
Other notable faces you probably forgot:
- Mike O’Malley: He played Delia’s husband, Andy. You probably know him from Glee or Snowpiercer.
- Tuva Novotny: She played Sofi, the Swedish friend Liz makes in Rome. She’s had a huge career in European cinema since.
- Luca Argentero: He was Giovanni, the "Italian tutor" (and let's be real, eye candy) in the Rome segment.
Where is the cast now in 2026?
It's been 16 years since the movie came out.
Julia Roberts is still a powerhouse, recently starring in things like After the Hunt (released late 2025). She’s moved into more prestige TV and selective film roles.
Javier Bardem has basically become the king of playing complex villains and icons. From Skyfall to Dune, he’s everywhere. He even played a role in an F1 movie recently.
Richard Jenkins is still working constantly at 78 years old. He’s become one of those "prestige" actors who makes every single project better just by showing up.
Interestingly, the real "Felipe" (José Nunes) and Elizabeth Gilbert eventually divorced years after the book/movie came out. It adds a bit of a bittersweet layer to the ending when you watch it today.
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Why the casting still matters
People love to hate on this movie. They call it "tourist porn" or "first-world problems: the motion picture."
But the cast of Eat Pray Love movie is what saves it. Without actors like Jenkins and Davis to ground the story, it would just be a long travel commercial.
If you're looking to dive back into the world of Liz Gilbert, here is what you should actually do:
- Watch for the subtext: Pay attention to Viola Davis's face in the early New York scenes. She says so much without speaking.
- Compare the "Richard" scenes: The India segment is widely considered the best part of the movie because of the Jenkins/Roberts dynamic.
- Look up the real people: Researching the real Ketut Liyer (the medicine man) or the real Richard from Texas adds a lot of weight to the performances.
Next time you're scrolling through streaming services and see that orange-and-yellow poster, give it another look. Even if you don't care about the "finding yourself" stuff, the acting is top-tier.
Key Takeaway: The movie worked because it didn't just cast "stars"; it cast people who could actually handle the heavy emotional lifting required to make a spiritual memoir feel like a real story.