Actress Julia Roberts presents the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play at the 60th annual Tony Awards in New York, June 11, 2006. (Gary Hershorn/Reuters)

Hollywood's most highly paid actress Julia Roberts was panned by critics in her Broadway stage debut this year, but she may have won a few friends in New York at Sunday night's Tony Awards by eating humble pie.

Roberts, whose performance in "Three Days of Rain" got scathing reviews, swallowed her pride at not being nominated for a Tony and made an appearance to present the award for best actor to Richard Griffiths of "The History Boys."

Roberts won a warm round of applause for acknowledging her lack of stage credentials: "I just want to take this opportunity to say that you people are insanely talented," the Oscar-winning actress told the audience full of Broadway starts.