Eric Roberts

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EricRoberts Last Updated: 8/20/25
Real Name: Eric Anthony Roberts
Born: April 18, 1956
Height: 5' 8"

Grade: A
Actor/Movie Star: 90%-10%
Prime Years: 1978, 1983-85, 1989-90, 1993-94, and 1996
Most Famous Film: Runaway Train (1985)
Most Infamous Film: The Specialist (1994)
Masterpiece: Star 80 (1983), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), and Best of the Best (1989)
Outstanding: It's My Party (1996)
Honorable: King of the Gypsies (1978), Runaway Train (1985), Descending Angel (1990), and Sensation (1994)

Opinion: I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Eric Roberts is so much better than his sister Julia. The difference is huge. What he possesses that she doesn't is range. His versatility is unbelievable, making acting look so easy. He's a true expert in the Method, and it's so obvious. That being said, I'll gladly watch his films over Julia Roberts' any time of the day. My favorite Eric Roberts movie is Best of the Best.

When it comes to the biggest robberies in the history of Oscars, Eric Roberts gets the nod for not being nominated and then winning the Best Actor award for Star 80. He owned everybody that year. The same can be said for his other brilliant performance in The Pope of Greenwich Village. Sadly, at some point, his career became overtly ridiculous by doing way too many films when he only had to concentrate on a few. As a result, he may have set a Hollywood record in this category.

Confirmed: Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, to alcoholic, depressed parents. Father attended Tulane University and was a sitcom writer. Drifted around for a while before settling in Decatur, Georgia, and then Atlanta at ages 4 and 8, respectively. Got a new sister named Julia Roberts at age 11 and called her "Julie." Had a redneck upbringing for the most part, causing him to develop a Southern accent.

Father, who worked as a publicist for a while, and mother founded an acting school for children called Actors and Writers Workshop in Atlanta, and it was the only one that's intregated in the 60's. The former focused on directing and writing while the latter taught speech and made costumes. Former students were MLK's and Ralph Abernathy's children.

Had done a lot of plays, beginning at age 4, and decided to be a professional actor at 7, having appeared on a show in a local TV station for an half-hour every Saturday. Parents' acting school shut down in 1970 because of the outrage over racial plays. The following year, they divorced. As a result, was taken in by his father while his two sisters lived with the mother whom he had lost any respect or love for, beginning at age 10. Turned into a pothead at age 14. While growing up, rarely made friends because of his stutter which oddly went away whenever he memorized lines.

Was physically beaten by his mother and would later claim that she's dead when in fact was still alive [this was among the primary reasons why he had an on/off estranged relationship with Julia because she never experienced anything like that; the other was his drug habit]. Carried an uneasy relationship with his father, who's been abused by his own father, and was too much graphic with everything in life as evidenced in the multitude of letters he received from him.

Auditioned for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts of London, England, in 1974 and got accepted. Afterwards, went to New York City and began training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts while working in odd jobs. At the age of 19, starred in his first play called Rebel Women.

Started doing cocaine in the mid-late 70's which got him fired in 1977 from a soap opera show called Another World which turned out to be the best thing that ever happened for his career because he got discovered by a casting director named Marion Dougherty which led him to King of the Gypsies. Was involved in the accidental drowning of his stepmother at Lake Lanier, Georgia.

Carried a romantic relationship with actress Sandy Dennis which began after she watched Paul's Case on PBS despite their 19-year difference. Broke up with her because she owned too many cats that ran up to 100; his massive cocaine/weed habit was the other reason why, causing him to ram his Jeep toward a tree on June 4, 1981, when he tried to keep Sandy Dennis' dog from acting out inside. Suffered from memory loss, which would plaque him for the rest of his life, due to traumatic brain injury on top of being in a coma for three days and had to learn how to talk and walk again.

It took a long time for director Bob Fosse to find the right actor to play Paul Snider for Star 80. After being handed the script for a reading, hated the character and didn't want to do it. Eventually beat out Richard Gere for the role. Admitted to losing himself greatly into his character and called the whole ordeal the "hardest, most intense, most emotional, most strenuous, most satisfying experience of my life."

Fought for the role of Paulie in The Pope of Greenwich Village and absorbed everything about Italian mannerisms by spending a lot of time in Little Italy, which took eight months total, despite everybody telling him that he was playing it the wrong way. Then, the day before they were about to film it, the director, Ron Maxwell, told him to quit on the spot. After Mickey Rourke heard about what happened, he had him fired and replaced with Stuart Rosenberg.

Believed that Martin Scorsese held a long-standing grudge against him for turning down the part for The Last Temptation of Christ on the advice of his agent that playing Jesus Christ could spell disaster for his career. Replaced John Malkovich in an Off-Broadway play called Burn This during 1987 and was singled out for awards.

After being cast for Runaway Train, wanted to change his character as written because it was originally too similar to Jon Voight's, and his request was immediately approved. As a result, was Oscar-nominated for the first and only time in his career. That and Best of the Best made him enormously popular in Russia.

Had shot and snorted cocaine all day daily for years and finally stopped doing so in 1995 yet still smokes weed to this day. Usually treated others badly while on drugs. Was arrested in 1987 and 1995 for punching a cop and domestic violence, respectively. Got busted once at an airport in Canada for pot possession

Is a voracious reader, a cat person, and a lifelong smoker. Believes in the paranormal and claims to have seen spirits but isn't religious. Has anxiety, sleeping, and anger issues due to his addictive personality and is semi-broke which explain why he's doing so many film and TV work. Is mostly hit-or-miss thse days when it comes to his on-set behavior and often requires giant cue cards because he won't (or can't?) memorize lines.

Considers himself to be quite alike to Julia Roberts. Calls her a "movie star" while thinking of himself as an "actor." Has daughter Emma Roberts who's an actress. Cites Mickey Rourke as his role model in terms of acting and singles out The Pope of Greenwich Village as his favorite movie he ever did.

Rumors: None.