Julia Roberts recently shared a sweet story about her daughter, Hazel Moder, that’s winning hearts online. The Hollywood star said Hazel decided to give up her smartphone after watching the classic 1986 movie Stand by Me.
While talking to The New York Times about her new film After the Hunt, Roberts said the movie made a big impression on her daughter. “I think people don’t realize how much they miss talking,” she said. After watching the film, Hazel told her mom, “I’m going to give you my phone.” When Roberts asked what to do with it, Hazel simply said, “You just keep it. I don’t want it.”
Hazel explained that if the boys in Stand by Me had phones, they probably wouldn’t have talked or bonded the same way. That simple thought made her realize how phones often get in the way of real connections.
Roberts said she completely understood her daughter’s decision. She and her husband, Danny Moder, already try to limit their kids’ phone use at home. “We have a charging station where everyone leaves their phones when they get home. And no phones at the table,” she shared in a 2023 interview with Today.
The Oscar-winning actress has also spoken before about how too much screen time can affect people, especially kids. “Our brains can’t handle so much at once,” she told The Times. “Young minds need more time with nature, not screens.”
Julia’s new movie After the Hunt is directed by Luca Guadagnino and stars Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny. It’s currently showing in theaters.
