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Everyone thinks they know the story of the "Runaway Bride." For years, the tabloids painted Julia Roberts as a woman who couldn't stay put, especially after that infamous 1991 incident where she called off her wedding to Kiefer Sutherland just three days before the "I dos." But when you actually look at the men she did walk down the aisle for, the narrative shifts.
The question of who married Julia Roberts isn't just about a name; it’s about a massive shift in Hollywood dynamics. You have the whirlwind, 21-month marriage to a country music legend and then the 24-year (and counting) steady rock of a cinematographer.
Honestly, it’s a tale of two very different Julias.
The Whirlwind: Lyle Lovett (1993–1995)
In June 1993, Julia Roberts shocked literally everyone. She didn't just get married; she eloped with country singer Lyle Lovett after knowing him for only three weeks. They met on the set of The Player in 1992, but the sparks didn't truly ignite until a year later.
People were confused. The press was mean. They called them "The Beauty and the Beast," which was a pretty nasty jab at Lovett’s unique looks compared to the world's most famous "Pretty Woman."
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The Barefoot Wedding
The ceremony happened in Marion, Indiana. Julia was 25; Lyle was 35. She walked down the aisle barefoot in a white Comme des Garçons gown. It was a 72-hour planning job squeezed between tour dates and filming schedules. That night, Lyle played a show for 10,000 people and told the crowd, "Welcome to the happiest day of my life."
Why It Didn’t Last
They weren't "bad" together. They just weren't there together.
- Distance: Lovett once told People they never spent more than seven days together at a time.
- Schedules: He was touring; she was the biggest movie star on the planet.
- The Split: By March 1995, it was over. Julia called it "ridiculously amicable." They remained friends, proving that sometimes a marriage is just a very intense, short-lived season of life.
The Long Haul: Who Married Julia Roberts in 2002?
If the Lyle Lovett era was a lightning strike, her marriage to Danny Moder is a slow-burning hearth. They’ve been married since July 4, 2002. That’s nearly a quarter-century in Hollywood years, which is basically an eternity.
Danny Moder isn't a leading man. He’s a cinematographer. They met on the set of The Mexican in 2000. Julia was starring alongside Brad Pitt, and Danny was behind the camera.
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The "A Low Vera" Drama
This wasn't a clean start. When they met, Danny was married to makeup artist Vera Steimberg, and Julia was dating Benjamin Bratt. The transition from "colleagues" to "couple" was messy. Julia was famously photographed wearing a hand-made T-shirt that said "A Low Vera"—a punny, somewhat petty dig at Danny’s soon-to-be-ex-wife.
Julia later told Oprah that she and Danny "sorted our lives out separate and apart" before coming together, but the tabloids didn't let it go for years.
The Secret Ranch Wedding
On July 4, 2002, guests were invited to Julia's 82-acre ranch in Taos, New Mexico, for a "barbecue." At midnight, they were surprised with a wedding.
- The Setting: Under a circle of rose petals.
- The Vows: Handwritten and simple.
- The Dress: A pink cotton halter dress with pearls.
Since then, they’ve had three kids: twins Phinnaeus and Hazel (born 2004) and son Henry (born 2007).
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What Makes the Moder Marriage Different?
Why did this one stick? In a 2024 interview with British Vogue, Julia credited "the love of a good man." But there's more to it than just "good jeans" and romance.
Moder isn't interested in the spotlight. He’s a worker. He’s on the crew. While Julia is the face of the movie, he’s the eye behind the lens. They’ve worked together on several projects, including The Normal Heart and Secret in Their Eyes. Julia has admitted that having him on set makes her "nerve-wracking" because she wants him to think she's great. That mutual respect for the craft seems to be the glue.
Misconceptions About Julia’s Husbands
Many people still think she was married to Benjamin Bratt or Kiefer Sutherland.
- Benjamin Bratt: They dated for nearly four years. He was the one who famously said being with her was like "being followed by a parade." They never married.
- Kiefer Sutherland: The "Runaway Bride" moment. They were engaged, but she ended it three days before the wedding and flew to Ireland with Kiefer's friend, Jason Patric. Drama? Yes. Marriage? No.
Key Takeaways for Longevity
If you’re looking for "marriage advice" from the Roberts-Moder playbook, it seems to be:
- Privacy is King: They rarely do red carpets together.
- Separate Identities: He has his career; she has hers.
- Humor: Julia often jokes that the secret is just "lots of kissing."
To really understand who married Julia Roberts, you have to look past the 90s tabloid headlines. It wasn't about finding another A-list superstar to match her wattage. It was about finding a cameraman who saw her when the cameras weren't even rolling.
Next Step: If you're interested in how other 90s icons managed their private lives, you might want to look into the long-term partnerships of stars like Meryl Streep or Tom Hanks, who also found stability away from the paparazzi's glare.