Eric Roberts recently opened up about the advice he received to avoid discussing his famous family members, particularly his daughter Emma Roberts and sister Julia Roberts. During an interview on the “Still Here Hollywood” podcast, the Oscar-nominated actor shared his thoughts on the matter with host Steve Kmetko.
When asked about his sister Julia Roberts, Eric responded, “You’ll have to ask her.” He elaborated, “I love my sister, but I can’t talk about her. She doesn’t want to talk about it.” This sentiment was echoed when the conversation shifted to his daughter, Emma Roberts. “My daughter told me also not to talk about her, but I stumble and do. I’m not supposed to talk about either of them. But I do,” he admitted.
Despite the advice, Eric couldn’t help but express his admiration for Emma’s work. “I am in love with my daughter’s work these days,” he said. “I can’t believe how great she’s become. I’m so proud of her I can’t see straight. Since her performance in ‘Maybe I Do’ until right now, 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’m so proud.”
When asked if he had any role in Emma’s success, Eric humorously replied, “Absolutely nothing. Except I gave her that name.”
Emma Roberts has also weighed in on the “nepo babies” debate, acknowledging the preconceived notions people have about her due to her famous family. On the “Table for Two With Bruce Bozzi” podcast, she said, “People like to say, ‘Oh, you know, you have a leg up because you’re a family in the industry.’ But then the other side to that is, you know, you have to prove yourself more. Also, if people don’t have good experience being with other people in your family, then you’ll never get a chance.”
She added, “Everybody loves the kind of overnight success story. And so if you’re kind of not the girl from the middle of nowhere that broke into Hollywood, there’s kind of an eye roll of like, ‘Well, your dad was this.'”
Emma also pointed out the gender disparity in how “nepo babies” are perceived. “I always joke, I’m like, ‘Why is no one calling out George Clooney for being a nepo baby?’ Rosemary Clooney was an icon,” she said. “But also I feel like young girls get it harder with the nepo baby thing. I don’t really see people calling out sons of famous actors.”
She revealed that despite her connections, she has faced rejection in her career. “People kind of only see your wins because they only see when you’re on the poster of a movie. They don’t see all the, like, rejection along the way. That’s why I’m always very open about things I’ve auditioned for and haven’t gotten the part for. I think it’s important to talk about because otherwise people just think, ‘Oh, everything’s been so great and linear and easy,’ and it’s like, no. It’s been not at all.”
Emma concluded by expressing her gratitude for her career. “I feel so lucky that I get to be 33 and still get to be doing things that I love. Also now, I’m much more thoughtful about it.”
Eric Roberts also shared some fond memories from his time working on “The Dark Knight,” where he played mobster Sal Maroni. He recalled director Christopher Nolan’s straightforward guidance, including being told, “Eric Roberts, don’t be funny!” which he found “hysterical.”
He also reminisced about his interactions with Heath Ledger on set, debunking rumors about Ledger’s intense immersion in the Joker role. “What a lovely person he was,” Roberts noted. “He was perfectly fine.” He described a touching moment when Ledger sought feedback on his Joker performance from his co-stars, highlighting Ledger’s charm and humility.
Despite the advice to keep quiet about his family, Eric Roberts’ pride in his daughter Emma’s achievements is evident. His reflections on his career and family offer a glimpse into the complexities of navigating fame and familial relationships in Hollywood.
Source: THR, Entertainment Weekly, PEOPLE, TODAY
