Julia Roberts told MTV that after working with Tom Hanks, her costar in the new film "Larry Crowne," she knew she had a friend for the rest of her life.
"He [makes] me want to live a longer life," the actress told reporters at a press event for the film, which opened nationwide Friday. She first met Hanks on the set of the 2007 biopic "Charlie Wilson's War."
In the recession-themed romantic comedy "Crowne," Roberts, 43, plays Mercedes Tainot, a speech professor who falls for her student, a laid-off big box store manager (Hanks). Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") plays her porn-addicted husband.
Roberts also told National Post reporters that, "This particular scenario that Tom drew for me was fun to play, and Bryan is hilarious.”
Roberts said she took the role in the film primarily to work with Hanks. "It's true, I love Tom," she told reporters. "It's kind of retarded for us sitting here trying to be professionals because we're friends," she said. "I love his wife, I love his kids."
Hanks directed the film and co-wrote the script with Nia Vardalos ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding"). "Crowne" is his first directorial project since 1996's "That Thing You Do!"
Reuters predicted Friday that the film, which cost $30 million to make, would end the weekend with ticket sales in the low teens, and like many films geared toward mature audiences, would be a long-term box office success. The film is up against big-budget summer sequel "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and the Selena Gomez tween romance "Monte Carlo."
