Hollywood loves a dynasty, but it loves a train wreck even more. For decades, the tabloids have feasted on the fractured relationship between Eric Roberts and his megastar sister, Julia Roberts. You’ve probably seen the headlines. The bitter custody battles, the years of silence, and that infamous claim Eric made about being the sole reason Julia has a career.
It’s messy. Families are like that, but when yours is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and lives in front of a camera, the cracks look like canyons.
The Georgia Roots and the Breakup
They didn't start as rivals. Far from it. Born in Mississippi and raised in Georgia, the Roberts siblings—Eric, Julia, and their sister Lisa—grew up in a household steeped in the arts. Their parents, Walter and Betty Lou, ran an acting school in Decatur.
But things weren't exactly "Steel Magnolias" behind closed doors. Their parents divorced in 1971. Eric stayed with his father, while Julia and Lisa moved with their mother. This split created a fundamental gap. Eric was ten years older. By the time Julia was hitting her teens, Eric was already the "it" boy in New York, garnering critical acclaim for King of the Gypsies.
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Honestly, he was the blueprint. He showed her the way out of Georgia.
When the "Runaway Train" Derailed
In 1985, Eric was nominated for an Oscar for Runaway Train. He was at the top of his game. But he was also at the bottom of a very dark hole. Cocaine addiction isn't just a personal struggle; it’s a hurricane that levels everyone nearby.
Eric has since admitted that he was "exhausting to be around." He was defensive. He was angry. He was, by his own account, dangerous.
While Eric’s life was spiraling, Julia’s was exploding. Mystic Pizza happened. Then Steel Magnolias. By the time Pretty Woman hit in 1990, she wasn’t just Eric’s little sister anymore. She was the biggest movie star on the planet.
That shift in power is a pill most big brothers find hard to swallow.
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The Custody Battle That Broke Everything
If you want to know why they didn't speak for over a decade, you have to look at 1993. This wasn't just a "we don't get along at Thanksgiving" situation.
Eric was in a nasty custody battle with his ex-girlfriend, Kelly Cunningham, over their daughter, Emma Roberts. Julia didn't just stay neutral. She took sides. She sided with Kelly.
Julia reportedly funded Kelly’s legal fees to ensure Eric—who was still battling his demons—didn't get custody. For Eric, this was the ultimate betrayal. For Julia, it was likely a desperate attempt to protect her niece.
They went dark. No calls. No emails. Just silence for years.
The 2004 Olive Branch
People often ask what finally brought them back together. It wasn't a big Hollywood gala or a joint project. It was the birth of Julia’s twins, Phinnaeus and Hazel, in 2004.
Eric and his wife, Eliza, went to the hospital to drop off gifts. He didn't expect to stay. He certainly didn't expect a reconciliation. But according to Eric, he was ushered into the room and "awash in brotherly love."
They realized life was too short for a thirty-year grudge. They became "email buddies," as he calls it. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start.
That Infamous Vanity Fair Quote
The peace was nearly shattered again in 2018. Eric told Vanity Fair, "If it wasn't for me, there would be no Julia Roberts and no Emma Roberts as celebrities."
Yikes.
It sounded like a man desperate for credit. Julia, predictably, stayed silent. She’s always been the more guarded of the two. Eric, on the other hand, is an open book—sometimes to his own detriment.
In his 2024 memoir, Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far, he finally walked it back. He called his own comment "asinine." He admitted that Julia’s talent was a "monster" and she would have been discovered by anyone with eyes.
Where They Stand in 2026
So, are they best friends now? Not exactly.
Eric has recently mentioned on podcasts like Still Here Hollywood that he’s actually "not allowed" to talk about Julia. Or Emma, for that matter. Apparently, the women in the family have set some firm boundaries.
They love him. They support him. But they don't want their private lives used as fodder for his press tours.
Why the Roberts Family Dynamic Matters
The story of Eric and Julia Roberts isn't just about celebrity gossip. It’s a case study in:
- Boundaries: Sometimes, you have to love a family member from a distance for your own mental health.
- Accountability: Eric’s recent public apologies show that it's never too late to own your past "asinine" behavior.
- Redemption: You can lose your way, lose your family, and still find a path back to a "new normal."
If you’re navigating a difficult family dynamic, take a page from the Roberts' book: you don't have to be best friends to be at peace. Sometimes, being "email buddies" is the biggest victory you can get.
To really understand the nuance of this relationship, look at Eric's recent interviews on the Really Famous podcast. He gets surprisingly vulnerable about the "fear and uncertainty" he caused his sisters. It’s a rare moment of Hollywood honesty that feels, well, human.
For anyone looking to mend a long-standing rift, the first step is often the hardest: admitting you were the one who was "exhausting to be around."