Julia was born on March 28, 1981, in New York City, New York. She’s the eldest daughter with two younger siblings. Their family had a business where her mother crafts pots while her father served as the peddler.

At a young age, Julia already featured a cornucopia accent of being an artist in the bounds of acting and writing. Before having formal engagement vis-à-vis her talents, Julia was on the right path of graduating from New York's Professional Children's School, which hones and prepares students who wants to tackle careers in the arts.

So the stage is set. At age 11, Julia wrote a letter to the La Mama Theatre group requesting for an audition with merely scanty YMCA lessons but she was approved and got a role eventually.

Julia as a teenager also regularly contributed her write-ups especially on the subject of her own life and experiences as an upcoming actress in a New York based children magazine - published by Restless Youth Press, the Zuzu. This publication is an organization dedicated to publishing original works of young artists. Still infected by this talent, she co-authored a screenplay entitled The Anarchist Daughter when she was just sixteen. It was later included in the 1998 Sundance Institute Writers Lab.

Julia’s motion picture debut was the drama I Love You, I Love You Not featuring Claire Danes, Jude Law and James Van Der Beek. This was followed by a string of supporting roles however. The show for Julia did not really started too well not until she became cast of NBC’s miniseries “The 60s.” A hit indeed, Julia captured the attention of viewers with her first-rate portrayal of her role. Her follow-up movie was another hit – 10 Things I Hate About You giving her the for Breakthrough Female Performance of the year by the MTV Movie Award.

After Save the Last Dance, Julia volunteered in Costa Rica with Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit program that helps needy communities in constructing houses or reconstructing urban areas after encountering natural disasters.

Because of her exquisite beauty and how smart she carries herself, she has been named one of Teen People Magazine "21 Hottest Stars Under 21" in 1999 and One of Teen People Magazine's "25 Hottest Stars under 25" (2002).

With all her rare beauty and talent, she can go further by being critical when it comes to issues concerning women.