One of our Summer 2004 highlights was taking the girls to New York's American Girl Place on Fifth Avenue. Their live theatre production was the next best thing to being on Broadway. Now, thanks in part to actress Julia Roberts, American Girl dolls will be coming to life on the television screen this November.

A division of Mattel, American Girl is relying on Julia Roberts to "give birth" to "Samantha: An American Girl Holiday," The WB's first made-for-TV movie, which will premiere on Tuesday, November 23rd - two days before Thanksgiving. This winter, Roberts will also give birth to a son and daughter together with husband, Danny Moder.

Set in 1904, the movie is based on the popular American Girl dolls and their accompanying books.

AnnaSophia Robb, age 10, will star as the title character. Mia Farrow, 59, will play her grandmother. And Kelsey Lewis, 9, will play the roll of an Irish maid doll, Nellie O'Malley.

The movie explores the girls' different worlds and the challenges they face together including Nellie's snowy escape from a New York orphanage.

About The Movie

Kindhearted Samantha Parkington’s world starts to change the day Nellie O’Malley moves in next door. Nellie, her father, and her two little sisters have joined the Ryland family, as their servants. Though Samantha and Nellie come from completely different backgrounds, the two girls become fast friends.

Samantha and Nellie turn to each other in happiness and sorrow, adventure and danger, and grow to be as close as even two sisters could be. But nothing could prepare them for the life-altering surprises that lie ahead!

AnnaSophia Robb stars in the upcoming canine movie called Because of Winn Dixie - based on the Newbery Honor Medal book by Kate DiCamillo and screenplay by Joan Singleton. This movie created by 20th Century Fox will be released on February 18, 2005. Robb is also working on Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory remake, originally written by Roald Dahl. Robb will play the role of Violet.

In Samantha: An American Girl Holiday, Kelsey Lewis plays Nellie.

Roberts, age 36, who is pregnant with twins, will not be taking on any other film projects until after her children are born this winter.

The Oscar-winning actress (Erin Brokovich 2001) has two films set for release in December: "Closer," directed by Mike Nichols and also starring Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen, and "Ocean's 12," the Steven Soderbergh-directed sequel to 2001's star-studded heist caper. In July 2002, she married cinematographer Daniel Moder, 35, after meeting him on the set of The Mexican.

Other than executive producing the American Girl doll tv-movie, preparing for motherhood is Roberts' top priority now. Together the foursome are beginning a "whole new life" Roberts told Newsweek on August 23rd.