Julia Roberts wanted to miss Oscars because of her half-sister's suicide and her mother's fight against cancer.

Sometimes you're left with no choice but your priorities. Something similar happened to Julia Roberts when she decided to attend the Oscars ceremony very late in the day - interestingly - at the urging of her ill mother Betty, who was recently detected with lung cancer.

Not only that, the distraught actress had planned to skip Sunday's Oscars ceremony as she is also battling with the agony of losing her half-sister to suicide.

According to a pal, Betty, 80, was upset her girl's big night would be ruined by the double tragedy. After all, Julia is favourite for the Best Supporting Actress gong for her role in the family drama August: Osage County.

An insider said: "Julia has been dreading the thought of appearing in public again with people asking what dress she's wearing and superficial stuff like that."

Roberts was already helping ailing Betty when half-sister Nancy Motes, 37, took a fatal overdose last month. Before she died, she accused Julia of being "cruel" and making jibes about her weight.