In a revealing recent interview, Eric Roberts, the acclaimed actor and brother to Julia Roberts and father to Emma Roberts, remained tight-lipped about his renowned kin. While appearing on the popular podcast, “Still Here Hollywood” with Steve Kmetko, Eric respectfully sidestepped any inquiries pertaining to his distinguished kin, insisting the questions be directed to them personally.
While the “Dark Knight” star openly stated his familial affection, he also underscored a distinct boundary, saying “I love my sister, but I can’t talk about her. She doesn’t want to talk about it. And also, my daughter told me not to talk about her, but I stumble and do. I’m not supposed to talk about either of them, but I do.”
The interview only started gaining traction on social media three months post-release, when the podcast shared a snippet of Eric effusively expressing adoration for his daughter Emma’s acting abilities. His fatherly pride was palpable when he said “I’m in love with my daughter’s work these days,” he revealed. His admiration further echoed his pride when asked about the stars he most respects.
“Like, I can’t believe how great she’s become. I’m so proud of her I can’t see straight,” he added, jubilantly noting, “She overwhelms me with pride and just, ‘Oh my god, here she goes again!’ And I’m just so happy to be her dad because she’s kicking ass, and I am so proud.”
Emma’s recent performance in the 2023 film “Maybe I Do,” a star-studded ensemble including Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and William H. Macy, seemed to be a particular point of pride for him.
However, Eric swiftly dismissed any speculation of influencing Emma’s successful acting journey. With a filmography boasting over 700 credits including 1985’s “Runaway Train” and 2022’s “Babylon,” Eric adamantly denies contributing to Emma’s thriving career. “I have absolutely nothing to do with her Hollywood roles. Except I gave her that name,” he shared.
Credited for breakout roles in shows like the Nickelodeon’s “Unfabulous,” Emma Roberts has expanded her acting expedition by joining the casts of “Scream Queens,” “American Horror Story,” “Madame Web” and recently, in Amazon’s film “Space Cadet,” where her acting prowess shines in a comedic role of a bartender-turned-astronaut under false pretenses. Gabrielle Union and Tom Hopper join her in the playful comedy.
Emma herself, in a recent interview with Flaunt magazine, shrugged off any suggestion–often referred to as the “nepo baby” tag–that her successful acting career has been influenced by her family’s industry connections. “I’ve lost more jobs than I’ve gained from being in the business,” she admitted, adding, “I’ve never gotten a job because of it; I know I definitely have lost a couple of jobs because of it.” The sentiment served as a refreshing reminder that every successful path harbors its own, often unseen, share of challenges.
