Julia Roberts thinks Hollywood was ''easier'' when she was beginning her career than it is now.

The 47-year-old actress thinks it is tougher for young starlets to succeed these days, because people are not as ''nice'' as when she started working and anonymous online criticism makes things even more difficult.

She told 'Entertainment Tonight': ''I think it was easier back when I was starting, probably than it is now. People were nicer, I think. ''There's just a lot of anonymity now for critiquing people and pretending that you know people, and I think that that becomes complex. There are just a lot of people who hide.''

However, when asked to advise young hopefuls on what they should do, the 'Normal Heart' star insisted she wasn't the right person to ask. She said her advice would be: ''Don't take advice from actors. Ever.''

The 'Pretty Woman' actress - who has children Hazel and Phinnaeus, 10, and Henry, seven, with husband Daniel Moder - previously said she has never been ''ambitious'' in her career and didn't feel bitter when roles she wanted went to other people.

She said: ''I always feel like there is room for everybody. I don't consider myself really all that ambitious. When I didn't get a part - even when I was younger and needing to pay my rent - I would think, 'Oh, someone else got it. She's going to be so good.' I never felt sour grapes.''