When actress Julia Roberts celebrated her 55th birthday on October 28, a heartwarming story about her birth started making waves across social media platforms. Surprisingly, it was unveiled that civil rights legend Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, had paid the hospital bill when Roberts entered the world in Smyrna, Georgia, back in 1967.

This remarkable revelation came to light during an insightful conversation between Roberts and "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King in September. The interview, which took place during A+E Networks and History Channel's HISTORYTalks live event in Washington, D.C., quickly gained traction after a Twitter user shared a video clip of a younger Roberts on October 21, accompanied by the caption: "Martin Luther King Jr. paying for her birth is still a little-known fact that sends me."

Just a week later, on Roberts' milestone birthday, Zara Rahim, a prominent Twitter consultant boasting nearly 50,000 followers, retweeted the original post, including a snippet of Roberts' revealing September interview. Gayle King set the stage by posing an intriguing question, stating, "I'll bet most people don't know this about you... let's start with the day you were born. Who paid for the hospital bill?"

Roberts, acknowledging Gayle King's thorough research, began to explain the heartwarming circumstances. "Obviously because my parents couldn't pay for the hospital bill," Roberts shared. She went on to disclose that her parents owned the Actors and Writers Workshop, a theater school based in Atlanta. It was through this connection that Coretta Scott King reached out to Roberts' mother, expressing her struggles in finding a school that would accept her children in segregated Atlanta.

"My mom was like, 'Sure, come on over,'" Roberts recounted. "And so they just all became friends and they helped us out of a jam."

Tragically, a little over eight months following Roberts' birth, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King, retweeted the interview and expressed her gratitude to Roberts for sharing the story. "I know the story well, but it is moving for me to be reminded of my parents' generosity and influence," she conveyed.

Despite the challenging circumstances surrounding her birth, Julia Roberts has emerged as one of America's most beloved and accomplished actors. Her remarkable talent earned her an Oscar in 2000 for her role in "Erin Brockovich," solidifying her place among Hollywood's elite. Throughout her illustrious career, Roberts has garnered numerous accolades and captured the hearts of audiences worldwide.

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Grateful that #JuliaRoberts shared this story with @GayleKing and that so many people have been awed by it.

I know the story well, but it is moving for me to be reminded of my parents’ generosity and influence.#CorettaScottKing #MLK pic.twitter.com/Hn9yOVxYIL

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) October 31, 2022

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