Emma Roberts calls working with aunt Julia Roberts' former costar Richard Gere a 'full circle' moment

History has a way of repeating itself, and this is especially true in Hollywood.

In the case of upcoming rom-com Maybe I Do, the whiff of déjà vu comes from the fact that Emma Roberts, daughter of actor Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts, is starring alongside Richard Gere. Gere, of course, made not one but two beloved romantic comedies in the '90s with Julia — Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride.

In Maybe I Do, he plays the father of Emma's character, which Emma told Page Six at a special screening of the film on Tuesday "just made so much sense."

"I loved him in Runaway Bride and Pretty Woman. Obviously, he's worked with my aunt, so to get to work with him felt like full circle," she said.

Also speaking to PEOPLE on Tuesday, Emma said, "It's not something we talked about, but I was so excited to work with him because Runaway Bride is one of my favorite movies that they did," when asked whether she felt her aunt was "passing the torch" on to her in working with Gere.

For his part, Gere also praised Emma, telling PEOPLE she "has one of the most difficult roles" in the new romantic comedy.

"Obviously I loved working with her aunt, but she's her own person. She has her own career and does things her own way," Gere said of his new costar. "She has one of the most difficult roles, the straight and narrow among the crazy adults. I think she did great."

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Emma Roberts and Richard Gere

The film also stars Diane Keaton, William H. Macy and Luke Bracey, and follows two married couples involved in affairs with each other, who learn the hard way that their respective kids (played by Emma and Bracey) are hoping to get married.

Written and directed by Michael Jacobs (Boy Meets World, Charles in Charge, Dinosaurs), Maybe I Do hits theaters nationwide on Jan. 27.

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