Julia Roberts Has Done “Everything in Her Power to Fix” Her Marriage to Husband Danny Moder

They were struggling. Julia Roberts was working nonstop, shooting and producing multiple projects in late 2017 and early 2018. Her husband, Danny Moder, who had put his cinematography career on the back burner to focus on their family, felt resentful. The couple argued frequently and he often stayed at a property they own across the street, a friend revealed to Life & Style in the magazine's latest issue, on newsstands now.

"This spring, Julia and Danny were often at odds over his desire to wear the pants in the family," the pal revealed. "And what he saw as her controlling ways." Friends feared Julia, 50, and Danny, 49, were headed for a split after years of escalating tensions. But she wasn’t willing to let that happen. Despite their differences, the couple love each other, and the Pretty Woman star decided the relationship was worth fighting for.

In recent weeks, "She’s done everything in her power to fix their marriage," the friend shared. Leading up to their 16th wedding anniversary on July 4, "Julia pulled out all the stops to show Danny how much she values him and their relationship. It’s managed to pull them back from the brink."

Julia’s most recent gesture was to plan a dream-come-true trip for Danny. "Julia organized a healing surf trip to Fiji," the pal said, zeroing in on something she knew her husband, a lifelong surfer, would relish. "She saw it as a chance to fix their floundering marriage and knew it would be a great way to thank Danny for being her rock."

In late June, the friend revealed, "They took off for a week to Tavarua Island, a family-friendly surf resort known for its worldclass waves, with some friends of Danny’s, their spouses, and their kids." Julia went the extra mile "and flew most of the group out on her plane," added the pal. "They had the whole island to themselves."

She’d been working to smooth things over well before the trip. When she got home from filming her latest movie, Ben Is Back, she surprised Danny and their kids — Henry, 11, and twins Phinnaeus and Hazel, 13 — with a black lab puppy named Brown. "She felt like it would bring them together as a family," the friend confessed. She also started shooting her new Amazon series, the thriller Homecoming in LA, not far from their Malibu compound, "which allowed her to be home at night."

The getaway meant the most to Danny, though. Julia "is learning to give up the control that’s caused so many problems in their marriage. This has eased the tension," the friend said. "She’s hoping that this trip will really help them strengthen their marriage after being so close to divorce."