JULIA ROBERTS and her brother ERIC have been asked by a stuttering charity to help promote its cause, because they both suffered from the affliction as children.

The pair overcame their problem before reaching Hollywood - and the Stuttering Foundation of America (SFA) wants them to help others.

A recent newsletter reads, "The Roberts siblings stuttered as children and ironically give credence to the factor the heredity/genetic link in the stuttering equation. They have no doubt inspired young people with the problem."

Representative Jane Fraser tells the New York Post, "It would be marvelous to have them participate." Heroes actor Eric recently revealed he still suffers occasional stuttering relapses, most notably on a late night talk show. He said, "I got on a stuttering jag and the audience got uncomfortable and started laughing. I stayed relaxed, but I didn’t have the presence of mind, until afterwards, to acknowledge the stutter and put the audience at ease."

Other stuttering celebrities, named by the SFA, include Bruce Willis, Carly Simon, Harvey Keitel, Jane Seymour and Tiger Woods.