The world discovered that Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King helped cover the hospital bill for America’s Sweetheart herself – Julia Roberts. It sounds like something straight out of a movie, but it’s a heartwarming slice of real life that slipped under the radar for decades.
While the connection between the Roberts and King families wasn’t exactly hush-hush, it wasn’t exactly front-page news until a recent viral tweet revived the story.
Just before Roberts’ 55th birthday, Twitter went wild after an account called @turnandstomp retweeted a fan video of young Roberts, commenting, “Martin Luther King Jr paying for her birth is still a little known fact that sends me.” The tweet quickly picked up steam, racking up over 100,000 likes and sparking a stream of shocked and delighted responses from fans.
Then, on Roberts’ actual birthday, Gayle King, who’s no stranger to turning jaw-dropping facts into viral moments, asked her about it during a HISTORYTalks live event. “OK,” Roberts grinned, “her research is very good.”
After some playful back-and-forth about the King family’s involvement, Roberts confirmed it: “The King family…” she nodded, then clarified, “Obviously, because my parents couldn’t pay for the hospital.” Talk about a mic-drop moment!
So, how did this come about? Turns out, in the late ‘60s, when Roberts was born in Smyrna, Georgia, her parents — Walter and Betty Roberts — ran the only integrated children’s theater school in Atlanta. As fate would have it, Coretta Scott King reached out because she couldn’t find a place for her kids to go to school.
“One day Coretta Scott King called my mother and asked if her kids could be part of the school,” Roberts explained. “My mom was like, ‘Sure, come on over,’” and from there, the two families hit it off. “They all just became friends, and they helped us out of a jam.”
This wasn’t just any act of kindness; it was a beacon of change. King pointed out that it was extraordinary for Black and white kids to take acting classes together in the South during the ‘60s. In a time when racial segregation was the norm, the Roberts’ school was a rare, welcoming space. “It was extraordinary,” she remarked.
Bernice King, the youngest daughter of MLK and Coretta, expressed her gratitude on Twitter, thanking Roberts for sharing the story and acknowledging the lasting impact of her parents’ generosity. “I know the story well,” she tweeted, “but it is moving for me to be reminded of my parents’ generosity and influence.” Now, that’s some family legacy.
Yolanda King, the King’s oldest child, also has fond memories of the time spent at the Roberts’ school. “All of these Black kids and white kids getting along, no problems,” she recalled, reminiscing about the community-like atmosphere. But not everyone was a fan of the integrated school. Author Phillip DePoy, who attended, shared that he once got caught up in an explosive situation when a member of the Ku Klux Klan noticed him kissing Yolanda during a play rehearsal. The result? A car bomb.
Despite the school’s eventual closure due to financial difficulties, and the Roberts’ divorce in 1977, this story of compassion, connection, and breaking down barriers has remained a testament to what can happen when people stand together — regardless of race, background, or circumstance.
So, the next time Julia Roberts smiles at the camera, just know — her birth was paid for by two civil rights icons.
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