Julia and company took up temporary residence in tents and trailers lining "The Green," a large grassy square in New Haven, the small New England city that is home to Yale University. Shooting took place on November 1st, at three locations: a local art gallery, Yale's Silliman College and Yale's Sterling Memorial Library.

The art gallery scene, a closed-set interior, was shot in the afternoon. It took about two or three hours. When it was done, Roberts came outside and hustled into a tan Ford Expedition. Surrounded by dozens of starstruck fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the Pretty Woman, Roberts was driven to her nearby quarters, a modest white trailer. She was kept company in her trailer by at least one super-friendly black dog.

A small crowd formed outside, waiting for the Oscar-winning actress to emerge. She finally did -- several hours later. It was now dark, cold and rainy. Still, when the crowd saw Julia, they called out her name, and held up signs and screamed "We love you!" Roberts turned and waved politely, though very briefly. Even with no makeup on whatsoever, she looked like the Julia we all know and love, although perhaps a bit less glamouous. One difference: In person, Roberts looks remarkably thin and tiny -- much more so than on screen!

She hurried into the nearby make-up trailer, joining co-star Toper Grace ("That 70s Show"). About an hour later, Roberts came out again, now fully made-up for her scene in Yale's Sterling Memorial Library, another closed-set interior. It took about three hours to film.

Although Sterling is a Yale library, in the film it will serve as a Harvard location. According to one production assistant, filming at the real Harvard, in heavily-taxed Massachusetts, was deemed too expensive. Even so, after just six or seven hours of work, the day's shooting was complete, and Julia and company departed -- leaving the New Haven economy an estimated $100,000 richer. "After all," as a production assistant explained, "It IS a multi-million dollar film."

"Mona Lisa Smile," directed by Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco), screenplay by Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner (Planet of the Apes, Mighty Joe Young, Jewel of the Nile), starring Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, and Toper Grace, premieres in August 2003.