As Emma Roberts grew older, her own career began to bloom. She appeared on sets long before she understood the power of the industry around her, often hiding in Julia Roberts’ makeup trailer on the set of Erin Brockovich. “I remember it feeling like summer camp,” she later recalled. Surrounded by performers and storytellers, she absorbed the craft almost by osmosis, eventually carving out her own path in television and film.
But despite her rising success, a gap remained where her father should have been. When asked directly in an interview if they were close, she answered with quiet honesty: “Um… how do I say this? No, we’re not.” Her words reflected the years of separation caused by Eric’s addiction — years he barely remembered, filled with disjointed work, strained relationships, and time lost to substance abuse.
Eric Roberts eventually reached a point where he could no longer ignore the damage. Sobriety forced him to examine the choices he had made: the distance, the absence, the family he had pushed away. At sixty-nine, he spoke bluntly about those years. “For many years, I was a practicing drug addict,” he stated. “A lot of people were alienated—especially the family. I owe them a lot because they love me.” He approached recovery with a clarity he had never shown in his youth, determined to rebuild the parts of his life still within reach.
He repaired his marriage to Eliza Roberts. He returned to steady acting work, choosing roles that kept him anchored rather than chasing spotlight pressure. He also chose honesty over image, saying, “The only way to be a good example is to get through being a casualty. Addicts aren’t bad guys. They’re just making a mistake.”
Even if the relationship with Emma never became the close bond many might expect, the connection was never fully severed. On her birthday, he posted a photo of her as a child with the caption, “I am clueless about the task, but the love on my face for her is undeniable.… I love you, Emma.” He often speaks admiringly of her resilience, noting, “Emma’s much stronger than I was at that age. She has more tools to build a safe place around herself.”
In the end, Eric Roberts’ story is not one of flawless recovery or perfectly mended relationships. It is a story of accountability — of a man who stopped running and decided to live with honesty, humility, and forgiveness. Emma didn’t grow up with her father, but she grew up loved. And he, after losing nearly everything, finally understands what love requires.
