The renowned Roberts siblings have been estranged for more than a decade, with little to no meaningful communication. Julia Roberts is widely regarded as one of Hollywood’s finest talents—an actress whose name is synonymous with cinematic excellence, earning her widespread praise from audiences, critics, and filmmakers alike.
Though Julia is the most celebrated, she isn’t the only actor in her family. Her older brother, Eric Roberts, and her niece, Emma Roberts, have also built successful careers in the entertainment industry.
Interestingly, Julia maintains a close, loving relationship only with Emma, while choosing to distance herself deliberately from Eric. This naturally raises the question: what led to such a deep rift between the siblings? Let’s take a closer look at their story.
Eric and Julia grew up in a highly artistic household. Their father was a theater director, and their mother a stage performer. As children, they shared a close bond. Even after their parents’ divorce, which split the family—Eric moving in with their father and later studying abroad, while Julia stayed with their mother—their affection for each other endured. Their father, Walter Roberts, encouraged Eric to pursue acting, and when he returned to the U.S. in the late 1970s, Eric quickly embarked on a film career.
He started with minor roles but gained significant recognition by the mid-1980s, particularly after his performance in Runaway Train. Around the same period, Julia began exploring acting and naturally looked to her older brother for guidance. However, Eric’s personal life was tumultuous. He struggled with substance abuse and maintained unstable romantic relationships, leaving him preoccupied and often unavailable.
Julia’s approach to her career was markedly different. She was selective about the roles she accepted, a strategy that paid off spectacularly. After the 1990 release of Pretty Woman, she became an international star almost overnight. This sudden rise in fame shifted the family dynamic. Eric, who had been the more recognized and experienced actor, now found himself overshadowed as Julia’s star ascended, while he continued to secure mostly supporting roles—a challenge that inevitably strained their relationship.
The ultimate fracture occurred in 1991, shortly after the birth of Eric’s daughter, Emma Roberts, with his partner Kelly Cunningham. Eric later admitted in his memoir that he struggled to embrace fatherhood. By the time Emma was seven months old, Eric separated from Kelly, and due to his ongoing substance issues, full custody was awarded to her mother—a decision Julia fully supported. She became a significant presence in Emma’s life, taking on financial responsibilities, paying bills, and even buying a home for her niece. Emma spent considerable time on Julia’s film sets, which would later inspire her own acting career.
Despite these tensions, Julia initially attempted to maintain her relationship with Eric. However, their bond was permanently damaged after Eric’s controversial 2018 interview with Vanity Fair. In it, he suggested that he had been instrumental in launching both Julia and Emma’s careers, claiming, “When Julia first came to New York, I marched into William Morris and asked, ‘Which one of you is signing my sister Julia?’ I’m proud people know I was the first. I got the earliest Golden Globe and Oscar nominations in this family.”
Although Eric apologized for these remarks in his 2024 memoir, the damage had already been done. Sources close to Julia revealed that she rejected his apology, stating, “The fact that he used her life to help sell his book is unforgivable. She would rather never speak to him again.”
