Julia Roberts' 'Eat Pray Love' gets gentler PG-13 rating

In this film publicity image released by Sony, Julia Roberts is shown in a scene from 'Eat, Pray, Love.'[Agencies]

LOS ANGELES – Julia Roberts' new film has gained a wider potential audience now that the rating has been lowered from R to PG-13.

The filmmakers behind Roberts' upcoming drama "Eat Pray Love" got the R rating overturned by the Classification and Rating Appeals Board for the Motion Picture Association of America.

The Sony Pictures release had been rated R for "brief strong language." It now has a PG-13 tag for "brief strong language, some sexual references and male rear nudity." The film comes out Aug. 13.

An R rating prohibits those under 17 from seeing a movie unless accompanied by an adult.

The appeals board lowered the rating Wednesday after hearing arguments from the film's director, Ryan Murphy, and producer Dede Gardner.