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Well, the Oscars are over and as expected Julia Roberts walked away with the golden statue for Best Actress for her portrayal of "Erin Brockovich." As the first actress to gross over one billion dollars at the box office, her win came as no surprise to anyone. After all, who else commands the attention that she does? There are certainly better actresses, as she would be the first to admit, but when it comes to being a star, there's nobody who comes close to touching her drawing power.

Yes, Julia Roberts, the little girl from Smyrna, Georgia, has arrived. She's finally recognized by her peers as the best of the best, and when you take a critical look at the facts, you can't argue with that recognition. Nobody in Hollywood today has the power to melt the hearts of men like Julia, and nobody in recent Hollywood memory has adjusted to her status any better. She recently told David Letterman, "I don't have to win the Oscar. I have my own little golden man at home," a reference to her boyfriend, former "Law and Order" star, Benjamin Bratt.

During her acceptance speech, it was quickly appearent that Julia Roberts is the genuine article. Not since Sally Field's "You Like Me" speech, has anyone shown the genuine exhuberence that she showed. With Julia Roberts, what you see is what you get, and at the Oscars we saw genuine excitement, the same quality she brings to every screen role.

With that excitement has come a professional confidence that is unmatched in Hollywood. Her latest release, "The Mexican," was done for a reduced salary for a director that had little experience with major films and whose biggest claim to fame was the Budwieser Frogs commercials. She felt strongly about the subject matter, however and went out on a limb. The result, another hit. Her next film, "America's Sweetheart," casts her opposite one of the most beautiful women in the world, Catharine Zeta-Jones, and while most other actresses would be threatened by working with someone like her, Roberts had a ball.

During my interview on the "Sarah Dickins Program" (BBC Radio-Wales) last week, I told the listeners that while she deserved the Award, she might not get it because the Academy often goes more for sentimentality than talent, popularity rather than skill. Tonight, the Academy proved me wrong, and I'm glad they did. Hers was a truly great performance that deserves all the recognition it has received.