Eric Roberts' Most Brutally Honest Confessions: From Abandoning His Young Family to Drug Abuse... and THAT Epic War With Sister Julia
Eric Roberts released his memoir, 'Runaway Train: Or, The Story of My Life So Far,' on September 17.
Oct. 3 2024, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
Eric Roberts Dissed Julia Roberts
Eric's memoir 'Runaway Train: Or, The Story of My Life So Far' featured harsh reviews of his sister's films.
In his memoir, Runaway Train: Or, The Story of My Life So Far, Eric Roberts shared personal stories he had never revealed before. One of the topics that recently made headlines was his comments about Julia Roberts' performance in the 1989 rom-com Steel Magnolias, which scored her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
According to Eric, his sister was "good in Mystic Pizza," "great in Pretty Woman," but "not so much in Steel Magnolias".
He wrote: "I don't want to sound like an actor talking, or a jealous sibling, but I don't think her performance held up in that movie.
"When I saw her in Steel Magnolias, I thought … ‘She's almost a good actor, and one day she's gonna be one.'"
Eric continued: "Nobody's great in that movie. They all chewed a lot of scenery, and we know that if an actor cries on film, they go to the top of the class. They get the Oscar nod because crying gets a lot of credit. It's the big joke in all acting classes."
For Eric, his award-winning sister earned positive reviews because her real-life Southern roots fit perfectly with her Louisianan character. He also noted that his family's heritage was a factor in Julia's stardom because it became "a big part of her appeal."
Is He Jealous of Julia Roberts' Career?
Eric clarified he was not jealous of his sister's successful career.
After writing comments about the Leave the World Behind actress, Eric wrote how he felt about Julia's success.
He disclosed: "For one thing, we were never going to be up for the same parts,"
Eric clarified he was not jealous of his sister but was unprepared for the attention he received as Julia's brother.
He continued: "When suddenly this rare and rarefied thing occurred, this worldwide phenomenon of Julia's stardom, it shoved me into the public eye in a different way."
Julia's brother said there were "outlandish" and "creepy" rumors that emerged amid her rise in Hollywood, including incest and claims they were in competition with each other.
He Also Apologized to His Sister
Eric issued an apology to Julia over past comments he made about.
Reflecting on his past comments about making Julia famous, Eric admitted that his statements were foolish.
Eric wrote: "That's not only unfortunate, but it's also untrue.
"And I hope Julie will accept this more public apology. It was an asinine thing to have said. I was proud of her, but it was pride turned on its head, to my own advantage."
He also called Julia a "very driven woman," adding someone would have "plucked her out of the crowd" for a Hollywood career without getting help from him.
How Eric Roberts' Drug Use Affected His Relationships With His Siblings
Julia's brother also detailed his complicated relationship with his other sister, Lisa.
In the memoir, the Heroes star opened up about the 1981 car accident that put him in a three-day coma. The crash, along with his drug abuse, reportedly took a toll on his health and relationships with his sisters.
He wrote: "I wouldn't be surprised if they suffered from PTSD from when it was dangerous to be around me.
"Lisa [Roberts Gillan] and Julia needed love and protection — instead, they got fear and uncertainty."
Eric Roberts Had a Tough Time Raising His Daughter Emma Roberts
Eric admitted he struggled raising his daughter, actress Emma Roberts.
One of the biggest topics in Eric's memoir is his daughter, Emma Roberts. The Less than Perfect alum admitted to abandoning his ex-partner, Kelly Cunningham, when Emma was just seven months old.
He said of his life with Kelly: "We went through a lot, and [Kelly] saw me at my absolute worst — yet she stayed, for a time, though I'm sure she questioned whether or not she should. We both wanted a child — maybe I did more than she — but we both wanted to become parents."
Although he was excited to become a young parent, he reportedly realized that he was not suited for parenting. His drug addiction, unfortunately, also contributed to his lack of paternal fitness.
Eric wrote: "The biggest consequence of my drug use was losing Emma. I was still impossibly coked up when she was born, which explains everything."
As Eric and Kelly financially struggled amid their separation, Julia reportedly stepped up and helped them out.
Eric Roberts Talked About His Father
Eric opened up about his relationship with father Walter.
In his memoir Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far, Eric revealed his father, Walter Roberts, was abusive and "was a very screwed-up individual and not safe for me, or anyone, to have as a father".
Still, he later came to understand his dad.
He wrote: "I knew that I loved him. I couldn't live down the shame of loving him or of who he was, someone capable of terrible things.
"I was ashamed of being so much of him and so much like him."
Eric continued, "If you've ever loved a parent … with a cruel nature, it's never too late to begin to recover from the shame and pain of it all."
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Eric Roberts Asked Robin Williams to Prank Julia Roberts
The Inside the Rain actor looked back at the time he asked Robin Williams to prank Julia days before they met at Cafe Central.
Eric detailed: "So I'm in one of the windows with Julie and we're having a hamburger, and here comes Robin Williams. He walks over, looks at her, opens the door, grabs her hamburger, and bolts out the door. Julie freaks out, 'Was that Robin Williams?!'"
The confused Ticket to Paradise actress then exclaimed that Robin had taken her hamburger.
He wrote: "That was Robin being Mork, because he was already in that hit show Mork and Mindy, which was tailor-made for his antic spirit.
"I was delighted to be able to impress my baby sister!"
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