Julia Roberts celebrated a major milestone in her family as her twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus Moder, turned 21 on November 28. The actress took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt tribute to her children on their big day.
Alongside a throwback photograph of her children as babies, sitting in their highchairs and smiling at the camera, Julia shared an emotional message. "These game changers, life alterers, expanders once were 1 and now are 21! That was fast. Happy Birthday my dears," she wrote.
The actress has been married to her husband Daniel "Danny" Moder since 2002, and together they share twins Phinnaeus and Hazel, plus younger son Henry. With the twins’ birthday falling around the Thanksgiving holiday, the family was no doubt reunited for the celebration. The holiday also marks the first Thanksgiving since Julia’s youngest child moved away for college, making it an extra special moment. Hazel and Phinnaeus's birthday marks a major change as 21 is the legal drinking age in the States.
© InstagramLast month, Julia opened up on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert about her and Danny becoming empty nesters. "It's all fun, honestly," she clarified. "It's also delicious. My kids – I know everyone thinks their kids are great, well...I think my kids are great. I love hanging out with them and spending time with them. Fortunately, we have had lots of visits along the way of this empty nest," she shared. Julia added that her kids also enjoy her company and visit home as often as possible.
Despite keeping her children out of the spotlight, the actress often shares glimpses of her parenting style. "When they were younger, certainly, Danny and I would have been considered some of the stricter parents," Julia told 72 Magazine. "Not like we're laying down the law, but these are the rules, and they don't change. Here's the boundary of your life, and it does not shift. You don't ask me and get an answer, and then go ask Dad and get a different answer. That doesn't happen. It will never happen."
© InstagramShe continued: "I think that is what creates the stability that then allows them to feel secure because you know there is this fixed world of love and safety that exists unconditionally." The After the Hunt star added that her kids' access to the internet was heavily monitored during their childhood. "I think they were, for sure, some of the last kids in their peer groups to get phones and stuff like that."
© Matt Baron/ShutterstockJulia also spoke about how she worked to protect her children so they could enjoy a normal life away from the Hollywood limelight. The children rarely make red carpet appearances or appear on their mom’s Instagram. Back in 2021, Hazel made her red carpet debut with her dad in Cannes.
"You know, we all want our kids to grow up with values. This is what we want as parents," she explained. "I think part of it is just Danny and I are definitely aligned in our core values and always have been. "I think when kids are little, kids only know what you let them know. I can't even tell you how old my kids probably were when they really understood my place in a work world."
