Julia Roberts

Now Roberts and Pitt are to be reunited in Steven Soderbergh's remake of the Frank Sinatra classic Ocean's Eleven, which will also feature George Clooney.

Like her portrayal of the feisty Erin Brockovich which won her an Oscar earlier this year, the character of Sam is quite abrasive, a woman who is determined to get her own way.

"I like how emotional she is but she's also got a good heart," says Roberts. "She has good reasons for doing what she does I understand, although I don't necessarily subscribe to her approach." The Mexican has proved a hit with Robert's core fans, women aged 25 - 50. They are the ones that turned Pretty Woman, My Best Friend's Wedding and Erin Brockovich into box office successes.

Roberts says she likes playing women she can identify with. The product of small town Smyrna, Georgia, the actress is not a Beverly Hills princess, despite her stardom.

"You have to be smart enough not to dismiss where you came from," she says. "It may not be all we are but it makes up for a great deal. Show me a mall and I'm happy."

There's certainly no reason for the 35-year-old to be glum. Her Oscar underlines her A-list clout and she is also finally enjoying a happy love life.

"Look, if a psychic had told me ten years ago that this is where I'd be today, I probably wouldn't have paid her," laughs Roberts.

"Inside I'm doing cartwheels upside down and naked. It just manifests itself slightly less on the outside because of my Southern accent."

While she's reluctant to talk about her off-screen partner Benjamin Bratt, their three-year relationship seems to be holding up well. "It's definitely nicer these days to have someone who really matters to share it all with."

They've reportedly set a date to tie the knot, but won't say when it is. But Roberts says she has got used to the intense media interest in her private life.

"When all this fame first comes it's like being hit by a giant wave. You panic and think if you can just calm down and see where it's going you'll be okay. Then you become more relaxed."

The first actress whose films have topped 1 billion dollars at the box office, Roberts has the Hollywood studios at her feet. Her price tag has now soared to a reported 25 million dollars, up there with the likes of Tom Hanks. Should her next project, America's Sweethearts with Billy Crystal, hit the box office jackpot, Roberts could hit the 30 million dollar club.

Inside, she insists, she's just the same person, even with all the trappings of Hollywood stardom. "I don't believe there's been any dramatic change in me. What changes with fame is the perceptions of the individual, rather than the individual."