Julia Roberts is an eternal icon — every time she steps into the spotlight, her charisma and presence captivate everyone around her.

But 26 years ago, photographers were left stunned when the Hollywood star arrived at the premiere of the cult classic Notting Hill.

And there was one particular detail that had everyone talking…

Was it a feminist move?

In 1999, Hollywood legend Julia Roberts took the red carpet by storm at the Notting Hill premiere in London, rocking a crimson, sequined Vivienne Tam dress with short sleeves, and two small tufts of armpit hair clearly visible.

The moment instantly made waves around the world and is now remembered as one of those early “shock the red carpet” moments, back when things didn’t exactly go viral at the speed of social media today.

The merciless British press — particularly ruthless in the ’90s — savaged Roberts’ look, with headlines like “Hairy Woman!,” “Beauty Becomes Beast!,” and the blunt “Ewwwww.”

After that, the tabloids speculated endlessly. Was it a feminist move? Or perhaps something her boyfriend Benjamin Bratt preferred? Speculation swirled over whether Los Angeles, a city long celebrated for its flawlessly groomed women, was ready for the audacious sight of natural armpits on the red carpet.

This was the late ’90s, a time when third-wave feminism was gaining momentum, the Spice Girls were dominating the charts, and discussions about how women were portrayed in the media were everywhere.

Earlier that year, actress and model Milla Jovovich had also deliberately showcased her underarm hair on the cover of one of the biggest fashion magazines.

Because of that, many saw Julia Roberts’ exposed armpit hair as more than just a wardrobe quirk. It became almost a symbol of the decade, representing a playful yet defiant pushback against rigid beauty standards and the way women were expected to present themselves in public.

“The picture is vivid in my mind”

But at the time, Roberts, just 31, wasn’t trying to make a feminist statement — she simply hadn’t considered how her dress and her waving would line up.

“The picture is vivid in my mind, actually, from that moment,” Julia explained during a 2018 appearance on Busy Tonight with American actress Busy Philipps.

“I think I just hadn’t really calculated my sleeve length and the waving and how those two things would go together and reveal personal things about me. So it wasn’t so much a statement as it’s just part of the statement I make as a human on the planet for myself.”

Busy Philipps recalled the moment, saying, “You rocked the hairy armpit at the Notting Hill premiere, and you never really said if that was like a statement.

Still resonates today

And when I was a younger woman, I kind of took it as a statement. I thought it was like really punk rock and cool. And I just was wondering if you at the time were feeling like it was a punk rock statement or if you literally were like, ‘I can’t. I can’t shave my armpits this month.’”

Roberts’ answer? Pure honesty. She wasn’t trying to challenge beauty norms or rebel against Hollywood expectations, she was simply being herself.

The moment sparked a conversation that still resonates today, inspiring stars like Amandla Stenberg, Bella Thorne, Halsey, and Paris Jackson to proudly embrace their body hair.

Even when Julia Roberts didn’t mean to make a statement, her presence and confidence sparked dialogue about personal choice versus societal pressure.

As Roberts herself has shown, the most powerful moments often happen when you’re simply being yourself. Do you remember this moment — and did you know the full story behind it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!