Eric Roberts is sharing rare insight into his relationship with his daughter, Emma Roberts.
During a recent appearance on the “Really Famous With Kara Mayer Robinson” podcast, Eric, 69, was asked whether he and Emma, 35, have a “complicated” relationship.
“Not really. It’s only complicated through outside eyes because they don’t get any of it, so they have their own take, whatever that is,” the Runaway Train actor explained.
According to Eric, people have their assumptions about his relationship with his daughter, but “they’re not really involved.”
Celebrities Who Have Complicated Relationships With Their Parents
He admitted that “it’s not a straight line” when it comes to family.
Eric said that despite what people may think about their bond, “I’m so proud of my daughter.”
“I’m so proud of my kid,” he continued to gush. “She didn’t start off as a great actor, but she became a great actor. She’s fabulous.”
Eric shares Emma with his ex, Kelly Cunningham. When Emma was born in 1991, he recalled, “Emotionally, I was a wash rag.” At the time, the actor was dealing with depression.
Julia Roberts and Brother Eric’s Alleged Drama Explained
“I was not to be depended on emotionally whatsoever because I was a car wreck. I was a car wreck because of many things, but I take full responsibility for it,” he said.
The Dark Knight actor previously spoke about his strained relationship with Emma during an October 2024 episode of the “Inside of You With Michael Rosenbaum” podcast.
Eric said the toughest time in his life was “probably the loss of relationship with my daughter,” referring to the American Horror Story actress.
“There’s not a pain, there’s a sadness for the, most likely, misunderstanding we’ll have forever because we’re human,” Eric expanded further.
Emma Roberts Says Nepo Babies Have to ‘Prove’ Themselves ‘More’
At the time, Eric was promoting his memoir, Runaway Train: Or, The Story of My Life So Far, and was asked whether his relationship with Emma was a “big chapter” in the book.
“It should be,” Eric responded. “The problem is it’s indefinable — so I’ll let you be the judge of that.”
In an excerpt from the memoir published by Entertainment Weekly, Eric wrote, “I loved my little daughter with the strength of Hercules, despite my own weaknesses. However, I couldn’t handle the realities of an infant coming into my life, and I couldn’t handle being a parent! I’m still not a father figure. Emma, on the other hand, certainly knows what that role is — now grown up and a mom herself. She’s that person to her first child, Rhodes.” (Emma shares son Rhodes, 5, with ex Garrett Hedlund.)
“I never saw myself as someone who deserved to have physical custody of Emma, not in a million years,” Eric continued. “We both knew better than that. Kelly never claimed I was trying to get physical custody of Emma. There really was no custody fight. I’m very happy to be straightening this out right now.”
