Honestly, it’s hard to think about the 2010s without that specific image of Julia Roberts sitting on a bench in Rome, clutching a gelato like it's a religious relic. It’s iconic. People still flock to that exact spot today because that movie did something weird to our collective psyche. It made us believe that if we just bought a plane ticket and ate enough carbohydrates, our lives would magically fix themselves. But while the scenery in Italy, India, and Bali was stunning, the real magic came from the actors in Eat Pray Love. They had to ground a story that, in the wrong hands, could have felt a little... self-indulgent? Maybe even annoying.
Julia Roberts was the only person who could have played Elizabeth Gilbert. Seriously. If you look back at the casting process, Ryan Murphy (yes, the American Horror Story guy, which is a wild pivot if you think about it) knew he needed someone with that specific, toothy radiance to make Liz likable. We’re talking about a woman who leaves a perfectly "good" life and a hot husband because she’s just... bored? Unfulfilled? In 2010, that was a harder sell than it is in our current "main character energy" era.
The heavy hitters: Julia Roberts and the men who defined her journey
Julia Roberts didn't just act; she basically carried the emotional weight of a thousand mid-life crises on her shoulders. She reportedly earned $10 million for the role, which sounds like a lot until you realize she's in almost every single frame. Her performance is twitchy, vulnerable, and genuinely hungry. I heard she actually ate all that pasta. No spit buckets. That's dedication to the craft.
Then you have the "Three Husbands" (not literally, but spiritually). First up is Billy Crudup as Stephen. He plays the "stable" husband who is actually kind of a mess in a way that makes you feel bad for him. Crudup is great at playing men who are slightly drowning. You want to root for him, but you also totally get why Liz has to bolt.
Then comes James Franco. Oh, 2010 James Franco. He was everywhere back then. As David, the young, yogi-actor-distraction, he provided the "Pray" bridge—or at least the catalyst for it. Their chemistry was intentionally fleeting. It was a rebound relationship played out in New York lofts and rainy streets, and Franco brought that specific brand of "pretentious but charming" that he specialized in during that decade.
Javier Bardem and the "Eat Pray Love" finale
Can we talk about Felipe?
Javier Bardem is an Oscar winner. He played a terrifying hitman with a bowl cut in No Country for Old Men. And yet, here he is, crying in a car in Bali because he's so in love with Julia Roberts. It’s arguably the most "movie star" performance in the film. Bardem brought a masculinity to the role that wasn't toxic; it was soft, weathered, and deeply wounded.
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People forget that Felipe was based on a real person named José Nunes. Bardem met with the real guy to get the vibe right, though he clearly injected a bit more Hollywood smolder into the performance. When you think about the actors in Eat Pray Love, Bardem is usually the first name people mention after Roberts. He’s the reward at the end of the two-hour slog through existential dread.
The supporting cast that actually stole the show
The stars get the posters, but the character actors gave the movie its soul. Take Richard from Texas.
Richard Jenkins played that role with such a heartbreaking, grizzled wisdom. He’s the one who calls Liz "Groceries" in the Indian ashram. He’s the one who delivers the most famous line in the movie about forgiving yourself. Jenkins is a veteran. You've seen him in everything from Step Brothers to The Shape of Water. In this film, he provides the reality check. Without him, the India segment would have felt like a very expensive spa retreat. He reminded us that the "Pray" part of the title involved actual work. Hard, ugly, emotional work.
And then there's Viola Davis.
Yes, the Viola Davis. She plays Delia, Liz’s best friend. It’s a relatively small role, especially considering she’s now one of the greatest living actors with an EGOT to her name. But even back then, she brought a groundedness to the New York scenes. She was the voice of the audience, the one asking, "Wait, you're doing what?" She gave Liz permission to go, but she also made sure we knew what Liz was leaving behind.
The International Gems
The film did a decent job—for 2010 standards—of hiring local or international talent to fill out the world.
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- Luca Argentero (Giovanni): The Italian tutor who taught Liz that "dolce far niente" (the sweetness of doing nothing) is a legitimate lifestyle choice. He’s a massive star in Italy, and he brought that effortless European charm that made us all want to quit our jobs and move to Rome.
- Tuva Novotny (Sofi): The Swedish friend Liz makes in Rome. She’s the one who goes on the food tour with her. Novotny is a powerhouse in Scandinavian cinema and even directed some episodes of Lillyhammer.
- Hadi Subiyanto (Ketut Liyer): This is a cool bit of trivia. Ketut, the medicine man in Bali, was a real person in Liz Gilbert's life. However, Subiyanto was a musician who was cast because he had that exact serene, toothless grin described in the book. He passed away a few years after the film, but his performance remains the heart of the Bali segment.
Why the casting of Eat Pray Love was controversial
It wasn't all pasta and sunshine. There was a lot of talk about "cultural tourism." Some critics felt the actors in Eat Pray Love were just props in a white woman's journey of self-discovery.
The film relies heavily on the "wise ethnic person" trope. Ketut in Bali and Wayan (played by the talented Greatmatsuri "Gigi" Arana) are there primarily to heal the American protagonist. While the actors did a great job, the narrative structure is definitely a product of its time. If it were made in 2026, the script would likely give more agency and backstory to the characters Liz meets in India and Indonesia.
That said, the performances themselves are hard to hate. You can see the respect the actors have for the material. They weren't just "phoning it in" for a paycheck in a pretty location. Roberts, in particular, was going through her own shifts in her career, moving away from the "America's Sweetheart" rom-coms into more mature, contemplative roles.
Behind the scenes: Making the movie
Ryan Murphy didn't just want the movie to look like the book; he wanted it to feel like the book.
The production actually traveled to the locations in the order they appear in the film. That’s rare. Usually, movies are shot out of sequence to save money. But the cast moved from New York to Italy, then India, and finally Bali. Roberts has said in interviews that this helped her mimic the emotional progression of the character. She actually gained about 10 pounds in Italy. She wasn't faking that "muffin top" scene where she can't fit into her jeans. That was real. That's why we love her.
The chemistry between the actors in Eat Pray Love felt genuine because they were essentially living the plot. They were expats for a few months, navigating new cultures and dealing with the heat and the crowds. When you see Liz sweating in the ashram, that wasn't just spray-on "movie sweat." India is hot. The discomfort on the actors' faces was authentic.
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What happened to the cast?
It’s fun to look back at where they are now.
- Viola Davis: Literally a queen. She moved on to The Help, How to Get Away with Murder, and won an Oscar for Fences.
- Javier Bardem: Continued to be the coolest guy in cinema, starring in Dune and playing Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos.
- Billy Crudup: Found a massive second wind with The Morning Show, winning an Emmy for playing the chaotic Cory Ellison.
- James Franco: His career became... complicated. After a string of critical successes like The Disaster Artist, he faced several allegations that largely pushed him out of the mainstream spotlight.
How to watch Eat Pray Love today (and what to look for)
If you're planning a rewatch, don't just focus on the scenery. Look at the eyes.
The movie is really a series of close-ups. Watch Julia Roberts' eyes in the scene where she's praying on her bathroom floor. That’s the "hook." Then, compare that to the look in her eyes during the final scene on the boat with Felipe. It’s a masterclass in subtle transformation.
Also, keep an eye out for Mike O'Malley. He plays Delia's husband, Andy. He’s a great comedic actor (mostly known for Glee), but he plays a very grounded, "normal" guy here. He provides the contrast to the "extra" energy of the rest of the cast.
Actionable insights for your own "Eat Pray Love" journey
You don't need a Hollywood budget or a cast of Oscar winners to take a page out of this book.
- The "Groceries" Rule: Like Richard from Texas suggested, give yourself a nickname or a persona when you're trying to change. It detaches you from your old baggage.
- The Gelato Principle: Sometimes, the most "spiritual" thing you can do is enjoy a meal without guilt. The Italy segment of the film is a great reminder that self-care isn't always meditation; sometimes it's pizza.
- Identify your "word": In the movie, every city and every person has a word. Rome is "sex." London is "stiff upper lip." What's your word right now? If you don't like it, change it.
The actors in Eat Pray Love did more than just recite lines. They sold a dream. It’s a dream that still resonates because, at the end of the day, we all want to believe that we’re just one plane ticket away from finding the best version of ourselves. Even if we’re just watching it from our couch with a bowl of microwave pasta, that feeling is worth the two-hour runtime.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of film history, your next step is to check out the filming locations in person—many of them, like the L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Naples, still have photos of the cast on the walls. Or, if you're staying home, look up the documentary He Prayed Love, which explores the real-life aftermath of the book's success on the people of Bali.