Is Diana Silvers of ‘Space Force’ Related to Julia Roberts?
Netflix‘s Space Force still flies under the radar for many people who love binge-watching the popular streaming service. However, its star-studded cast certainly stands out. Steve Carell returns to the comedy world as General Mark R. Naird, but his onscreen daughter is a draw, too.
Diana Silvers plays Erin Naird. Although her acting career is still in its infancy, she has received well-earned recognition for her work. Many fans also do a double-take, thinking she’s 100% related to Julia Roberts.
Diana Silvers is a bright, young actor you can see on Netflix’s ‘Space Force’
At the start of Space Force, Silvers’ character Erin is deeply unhappy about moving to Wild Horse, Colorado for her dad’s job. She begins to spin out in goofy, teenage ways before slowly developing strong bonds with her family despite the awkward circumstances.
It’s the latest noteworthy role for Silvers in a short amount of time. The 24-year-old made her acting debut in 2018 in Hulu’s Into the Dark anthology series. She broke out the next year with roles in Glass, Booksmart, and Ma. Booksmart is the most beloved of those three movies, and Silvers’ performance is one of the reasons why.
The LA native plays Hope, the detached cool girl of the high school whose ironic posture belies a more empathetic person under the surface. It’s not a big role on paper, but she managed to add enough presence to make a name for herself.
Since then, Silvers has appeared in the Jessica Chastain thriller Ava and as one of the leads in the Amazon Prime ballet drama Birds of Paradise. She doesn’t have another role officially announced as of now, but it’s only a matter of time before Silvers graces the screen yet again.
Despite the resemblance, Diana Silvers is not related to Julia Roberts
Another reason Silvers draws the eye is that her looks draw some comparisons to a young Julia Roberts. The two are not related, but Silvers has admitted in the past that Roberts is someone she looks to as she plans her own acting career.
“Julia Roberts started around the same age that I’m starting, and that’s cool because I feel like I can look at her career choices and try to figure out her strategy,” she told Collider in 2019. “At the end of the day, the only real strategy is to take on roles that you’re passionate about and work with directors and actors who you want to work with, and just play interesting characters. That’s really the game plan.”
Booksmart director Olivia Wilde also referred to Silvers as the next Julia Roberts in an Entertainment Tonight interview around the same time. It’s a high bar to meet, but Silvers has the potential to become a cinematic star in her own right.
Roberts does, however, have a relative in the entertainment industry. Her niece, Emma Roberts, rose to fame on Nickelodeon’s Unfabulous in 2004. Now, 31-year-old is a sought-after Hollywood mainstay, appearing in movies and TV shows like American Horror Story, We’re the Millers, and Scream Queens. Emma’s dad, Eric Roberts, is Julia’s brother.
‘Space Force’ is a middling spoof about the absurdity of the people in charge of our institutions
If Diana Silvers’ talent has caught your eye, you should check out Space Force on Netflix. The comedy series centers on Carell’s General Naird, the first Chief of Operations for the titular U.S. Space Force, the sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces.
The first season focuses on Naird’s flailing attempts to set up a base on the moon ASAP at the behest of a foolhardy government. The connections to reality are obvious, as is the show’s place in the lineage of parodies about the power-hungry idiots who run the world.
The show received mediocre reviews for the first season, mostly due to the uneven tone between trying to satirize a society that may be beyond satire at this point and the cozier workplace comedy mode it slips into at times.
Season 2 premiered in February 2022. Considering the breadth of talent involved in Space Force — John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Tawny Newsome, and Jimmy O. Yang fill out the main cast — we look forward to seeing the series evolve.
