While many celebrity children grow up surrounded by cameras, magazine covers and red carpets, Julia Roberts chose a very different childhood for her three kids. The Hollywood star and her husband, cinematographer Danny Moder, spent years keeping their family largely away from public attention.
That privacy made their only daughter, Hazel Moder, particularly intriguing to fans. Rarely photographed growing up, Hazel is now an adult — and her occasional appearances have sparked plenty of discussion about which famous parent she resembles most.
Julia married Danny in 2002, and twins Hazel and Phinnaeus were born on November 28, 2004. Their younger brother Henry followed several years later. Despite Julia’s enormous fame following movies such as “Pretty Woman,” she made a conscious effort to separate Hollywood from home life.
Hazel had one small taste of acting when she appeared in the 2016 movie “Mother’s Day,” which also starred her mother. But unlike many children of Hollywood stars, she didn’t use that appearance as the beginning of a public acting career.
Her biggest public moment came on July 10, 2021, when the then-16-year-old accompanied her father to the Cannes Film Festival. Danny had worked as cinematographer on “Flag Day,” and Hazel joined him on the red carpet.
Her understated appearance immediately attracted attention. Wearing a pale yellow lace dress with black shoes and her hair pulled into a simple ponytail, Hazel avoided the elaborate styling often associated with celebrity red carpets.
Photos quickly prompted comparisons with both of her parents. While some fans spotted Julia’s features, others believed Hazel strongly resembled Danny. Either way, it was a rare opportunity for the public to see the daughter Julia had spent years keeping away from Hollywood’s glare.
Despite the sudden attention, Hazel didn’t capitalize on her Cannes appearance. Instead of pursuing red carpets, modeling or high-profile movie roles, she continued living largely outside the celebrity world.
By 2025, reports indicated that Hazel was studying philosophy at Trinity College Dublin. She was also reportedly involved with university life and the Elizabethan Society, marking a path quite different from her mother’s Hollywood career.
There is, however, at least one glamorous piece of Julia’s history waiting for her daughter. The actress has kept the iconic black-and-white Valentino gown she wore when she won the Best Actress Oscar for “Erin Brockovich” in 2001. Julia has previously explained that Hazel was part of the reason she held onto special pieces from her wardrobe.
Hazel has even tried on the famous gown and once considered it as a possible option for her prom. But so far, inheriting her mother’s clothes appears to be much more appealing than inheriting her life in front of the cameras.
Another detail about Hazel surprised fans even more. Julia revealed that her daughter once decided to give up her smartphone after watching the 1986 coming-of-age movie “Stand by Me.”
Hazel reportedly noticed how closely the characters interacted and wondered whether the story would have unfolded the same way if they had all been distracted by smartphones. Inspired by that realization, she handed her phone to her mother and said she no longer wanted it.
The decision reflected the boundaries Julia and Danny had already established around technology at home, including rules about keeping phones away from the dinner table.
Today, Hazel is far removed from the little girl her famous parents once worked so hard to protect from photographers. She has grown into a young woman with her own interests, education and understated style — while continuing to maintain the privacy she experienced throughout childhood.
And perhaps that’s the most surprising part of her story. Hazel had a direct route into Hollywood from the moment she was born, yet as an adult, she appears to have chosen something much quieter.
