“It’s not going to help the fact that they have had a bit of a falling out over recent years. Brad and George used to be super close, but ever since George left Brad off his wedding guest list because [his wife] Amal hated Angelina Jolie, there’s been tension and more than a little rivalry.”
That rift is set to get worse, with both men attempting to woo their Ocean’s 11 co-star Julia Roberts to sign on to as yet unannounced projects.
“Both men want to do something steamy – a box-office guaranteeing thriller-romance – and neither will take no as an answer from Julia to play their leading woman,” alleges a source.
“At first, Julia was flattered to be so in demand by two of Hollywood’s biggest stars. But then it started to get a little weird. They’ve figured out they both want her for the same thing and it’s been a full court press on winning her over. There are constant phone calls, texts, invitations to cosy dinners-for-two, flowers. Julia feels like she’s being courted by a lover, not a potential colleague!”
Julia, 52, has been friends with both Brad, 56, and George, 59, for more than a decade. Insiders say she’s been a supportive shoulder for Brad in his 2016 split from Angelina. She’s also had George stay at her Malibu mansion during tough times with his own wife.
“Neither Angie nor Amal were comfortable with Julia being their go-to girl for tea and sympathy and they’ve long had separate suspicions that George and Brad were harbouring secret crushes on Julia. Of course the two women couldn’t bear to be in the same room so they never did compare notes, but finding out about Brad and George fighting over Julia might be the one thing that bonds them now.”
And spare a thought for Julia’s hubby of 17 years, cameraman Danny Moder.
“He’s watching his wife get almost hounded by these guys because they’re both so desperate to act with her,” claims a source.
“He knows how the industry works but even he has to say this is ridiculous. He has half a mind to sit them both down together and get them to figure their issues out – and back off from his wife while they’re at it.”
For more, pick up the latest issue of New Idea. Out now!
