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Julia Roberts describes Netflix thriller scene as 'the most disgusting thing' she's ever seen

Special effects (SPFX) dental artist Gary Archer revealed that Roberts, known for her composure and charm, struggled with the visual intensity.

Netflix’s gripping thriller ‘Leave the World Behind’ has captured audiences worldwide, but behind the scenes, it also left its leading lady, Julia Roberts, feeling queasy. The film, based on Rumaan Alam’s novel, follows the Sanford family as they explore a vacation-turned-nightmare amid mysterious global crises. While the movie’s intense narrative gripped viewers, one specific scene involving bloody dental gore proved too much for Roberts, leading her to plead for the filming to wrap.

As per Daily Mail, the disturbing moment features Archie, Amanda Sanford’s (Roberts) teenage son, losing teeth in a shocking display. The scene described as stomach-churning, involved Archie physically pulling his teeth from his bloody gums. This hyper-realistic effect was achieved by Gary Archer, the famous special effects (SPFX) dental artist behind classic film moments, including ‘Austin Powers’ and ‘Mrs. Doubtfire.’ Archer revealed, “I had to be on set that day because the breakaway teeth are held in by wax, so I had to keep resetting it for each take.”

Archer spilled the beans about Roberts, who is known for her composure and charm, struggling with the visual intensity. He shared, “Poor Julia Roberts, who has got a queasy stomach for dental gore, was sitting there as we're doing take after take after take and she was hating it.” Archer said, “She's like, ‘Can we be done? This is the most disgusting thing I've ever seen.’ I'm like, ‘I guess a career in the dental field is not for you, Julia.’” Despite Roberts’ discomfort, Archer found the reaction gratifying. He gushed, “I was over the moon for the fact that my work was having such an effect on her. I love when somebody turns around and says what I've created is stomach-churning or that they were awful to look at.”

Archer’s expertise ensured that each take of the scene was as realistic as possible. Using prosthetic teeth held in place by wax, he reset the props repeatedly, ensuring every detail was flawless. Another memorable moment from the movie saw Roberts echoing her reservations over a dance scene with Mahershala Ali’s character, George Washington. Set to the 1997 R&B hit “Too Close” by Next, the scene required Roberts to portray an awkward yet endearing dance, as reported by The Independent.

Speaking about the moment, Roberts confessed, “I asked him so many times because I was so embarrassed at the beginning of that song and Mahershala Ali is standing there, all eight-and-a-half feet tall of him.” However, Esmail defended his choice, explaining that the song was quirky and the scene needed it. Roberts eventually embraced the uncomfortable scenario, acknowledging Esmail’s reasoning. She shared, “Even just this morning, Sam explained yet again why he picked that song, and he’s completely right because being uncomfortable is the right thing…”