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Why Julia Roberts Will Never Be on American Horror Story

The Oscar winner admits Ryan Murphy won't even bother asking her to be on his shows

By Marc Malkin Nov 09, 2015 1:30 PMTags
Julia Roberts, Givenchy, NYFW 2016Michael Loccisano/Getty Image

Julia Roberts and Ryan Murphy have become pretty close over the years.

Not only did he direct her in Eat Pray Love five years ago, but the Oscar winner also co-starred in his HBO adaptation of the award-winning The Normal Heart. And just a couple of weeks ago, Roberts was the one who presented Murphy with his award at amfAR's Inspiration Gala in Los Angeles.

Even so, don't expect Roberts to appear on Murphy's hit anthology series American Horror Story.

In fact, he's never asked Roberts to film even the smallest cameo.

HBO

"I'll tell you why—because I can't even get though the commercials," Roberts told me while promoting her new thriller Secret in Their Eyes (in theaters Nov. 20). "I am the most fitful scaredy cat. When the first American Horror Story came out, remember the first poster? I said to him, 'OK, I curse you. I stop at a traffic light and I have to look at that thing on billboards. It gives me the willies. What is that? What is going on? What have you done?'"

She said, "Ryan was like, 'Oh, lady—you won't even get through the commercials.' I'm like, there's no way."

Even though her niece Emma Roberts is one of Murphy's AHS regulars? The Pretty Woman star laughed, "I try to support my Emma, but I don't like it."

After Secret in Their Eyes, Roberts will be seen in the Jodie Foster-directed Money Monster with George Clooney and Garry Marshall's ensemble comedy Mother's Day.

Click the video below to check out the latest Secret in Their Eyes trailer.