Eric Roberts Family Drama Amidst Career Chaos

There's no denying that Eric Roberts is one of the hardest-working men in Hollywood.

At 70, the star has over 800 acting credits and has become infamous for never saying 'no' to a role, appearing in a range of films and roles, after kicking off his career five decades ago.

Eric made his acting debut at just 17 years old, appearing on the soap opera How to Survive a Marriage in 1974.

His big break came when he was cast in his first film, playing the lead role in 1978's King of the Gypsies, and seemed poised to end up a bona fide star, after scoring a  nomination for his performance.

And while his career has been notable he has faced his fair share of turmoil in his personal life and has had complicated family relationships with his actress sister Julia and daughter Emma.

Earlier this month he revealed where he stands with his famous daughter, 35, - after previously laying

In an interview with Really Famous with Kara Mayer Robinson, Eric insisted their relationship is only 'complicated' to outsiders as he gushed about the actress he has grown 'so proud' of. 

Eric said the relationship wasn't particularly complex, adding: 'It's only complicated to outside eyes because they don't get any of it, so they have their own take, whatever that is, and it's not a straight line because they aren't really involved. 

'So it's just thoughts, possibilities, interests, fantasies, whatever it is. But it's not a real relationship with the subjects. So how can it be anything but a thought?'

At the time Emma was born, Eric said emotionally he 'was a wash rag. I was not to be dependent on emotionally because I was a car wreck.'

'I was a car wreck because of many things, but I take full responsibility for it... in that understanding the horrible negative things about my father and realizing I had to accept them as a child to get past him and realizing that what he drilled into me as loyalty was absolute recklessness.'

As Robinson attempted to probe deeper into the 'complicated' emotions surrounding their relationship, Eric said: 'Probably, but that's not an issue and that's not anything I'm here to discuss with you,' he said.

'I mean, just it is what that is, but that's a whole other issue in my life. That's not we're talking about today.'

Eric, who is the brother of Julia Roberts, welcomed Emma with ex Kelly Cunningham but the pair split soon after and he lost the custody battle over his only child due to his admitted drug use.

In 2024 he admitted to a rift in his relationship with Emma.  

Speaking on an episode of the Inside You podcast, the star was asked about the 'toughest time of his life' and said: 'Probably the loss of relationship with my daughter.'

Roberts - who wrote about their complex dynamic in the memoir Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far - said his relationship with Emma is 'indefinable.'

'There's not a pain. There's a sadness for the, most likely, misunderstandings we'll all have forever. Because we're human.' 

Eric said becoming a grandfather had enabled him to realize the true magnitude of what he had lost in his relationship with Emma. He has two step-grandchildren from his marriage to Eliza Garrett and a grandson from Emma's relationship with Garrett Hedlund.

He said: 'I started accepting that about myself with the birth of my grandchildren. Especially the 5-year-old, she was first and she was a girl and took a liking to me in a very strong way.

He said his eldest granddaughter 'looks like Emma which reminds me of what I didn't have.'

Roberts has called losing custody of a young Emma as the biggest consequence of his drug use.

A feud erupted between Eric and Julia - who sided with Kelly in the custody battle - a move which Eric now agrees with.

Elsewhere in his memoir Roberts made a public apology to Oscar-winner sister Julia for previously saying: 'If it wasn't for me, there would be no Julia Roberts.'

He writes: 'I hope Julia will accept this public apology. It was an asinine thing to have said.'

Eric's candid memoir covers his arrival in Tinseltown at the age of 17, his extensive career and his struggle with substance abuse disorder.

The actor and his sister had always been close until he made a sarcastic comment in the early 1990s while discussing the success of her classic film, Pretty Woman.

The Runaway Train star has always insisted that it was taken out of context, a sentiment that he reiterated in 2022 on the Behind The Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast.

'Julia and I have always been fine,' he said. 'I think years and years ago, I was doing a press tour for some movie… It was just when Pretty Woman just got released and so they're asking a bunch of questions about Julia. And I said, "Hey, excuse me. Can we talk about me?"'

The Suits alum explained that his comment was misinterpreted as he added: 'Of course, then it's like, "Oh, they have a problem."'

While the siblings 'don't agree about a lot of things,' the actor insisted that they still have a close bond.

'I love knowing my sister,' he said. 'She's a cool chick, my sister. I just stay out of her hair with the press. That's all. Simple. And she stays out of mine.'

Eric claims the only thing that ever caused a rift with his sisters Julia and Lisa was his past drug addiction.

He told Vanity Fair previously: 'I wouldn't characterize it as a falling-out. I was crazy about my sisters. Loved them, adored them. They were precious to me, and we had times of great closeness.

'We all felt very protective of each other, but the hardest person to protect yourself from is yourself.'

The actor continued: 'I was exhausting to be around: complainy, blamey, unable to enjoy enjoyment. Everyone in my world needed a break sometimes, and that must have included Julia.'

However, he explained that after years of estrangement, the siblings reunited in 2004 when Julia welcomed Hazel and Phinnaeus.