Julia Roberts Says Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King Paid Hospital Bill for Her Birth

Jen Juneau
·2 min read
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A segment of Julia Roberts' September interview with Gayle King is going viral for the sweetest reason.

During the interview, which Gayle conducted for A+E Networks and History Channel's HISTORYTalk, the television journalist asked Roberts, 55, about a story involving her parents' relationship with Martin Luther King Jr. and the latter's wife, Coretta Scott King.

"Let's start with the day you were born — who paid for the hospital bill?" asked Gayle, 67.

"Her research is very good," Julia said with a smile, before revealing that Martin and Coretta covered the bill.

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According to the Academy Award-winning actress, her parents, Walter and Betty Roberts, "couldn't pay for the hospital bill," and the King family did so in return for a kind gesture the Roberts family had made previously.

"My parents had a theater school in Atlanta called the Actors and Writers Workshop, and one day Coretta Scott King called my mother and asked if her kids could be part of the school because they were having a hard time finding a place that would accept her kids," Julia said.

RELATED GALLERY: Remembering Martin Luther King Jr. with 15 of His Most Powerful Quotes

Julia Roberts arrives at the 2nd Annual Academy Museum Gala at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 15, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/FilmMagic) Mandatory Credit: Photo by J Harris/AP/Shutterstock (6639317a) The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is accompanied by his wife, Coretta Scott King, as he appears at a press conference on the occasion of the release of his book "Why We Can't Wait," in New York, on MLK BOOK RELEASE NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic; J Harris/AP/Shutterstock

She continued, "And my mom is like, 'Sure come on over.' And so they just all became friends, and they helped us out of a jam."

Noted Gayle, "Yeah, because in the '60s, you didn't have little Black children interacting with little white kids in acting school. And your parents were like, 'Come on in.' I think that's extraordinary, and it sort of lays the groundwork for who you are."

"Oh, absolutely," Julia replied.

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Confirming the story, Martin and Coretta's youngest child, Bernice King, also tweeted the clip and said how "grateful" she was that it was making the rounds.

"Grateful that #JuliaRoberts shared this story with @GayleKing and that so many people have been awed by it," wrote Bernice, 59, on Sunday.

"I know the story well, but it is moving for me to be reminded of my parents' generosity and influence. #CorettaScottKing #MLK," she added.