Eric Roberts says drug addiction resulted in him ‘losing’ his daughter Emma

Eric Roberts and his ex Kelly Cunningham welcomed Emma in 1991

Eric Roberts has shared how his previous drug addiction impacted his relationship with his daughter, Emma Roberts.

The 68-year-old actor spoke candidly about his recovery after years of drug use in his new memoir, Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far. Back in 1991, Eric and his then-partner, Kelly Cunningham, welcomed their first and only daughter together, Emma Roberts. When the former couple broke up, back when Emma was just a baby, Eric lost custody of her, and he addressed the custody battle in his memoir.

“Of course, the biggest consequence of my drug use was losing Emma,” he wrote, as reported by People.

He acknowledged that during the custody battle his sister, Julia Roberts, ultimately supported Cunningham, since Eric was struggling with a cocaine addiction at the time. While Eric didn’t detail how Julia sided with his ex in the legal case, he wrote that the Pretty Woman star made the right call.

“I imagine I will remain as Julia’s brother and Emma Roberts’ dad for the rest of my life,” he wrote. “I’d like to make good on that, to move aside proudly and with grace. That’s part of the reason for writing the book.”

The Independent has contacted representatives for Emma for comment.

While Emma has remained private about her relationship with her father, he has previously spoken about her. During an appearance on  Steve Kmetko’s Still Here Hollywood podcast in July, Eric claimed that he wasn’t allowed to publicly speak about his sister or daughter – who recently got engaged to partner Cody John.

Eric Roberts and Emma Roberts (Getty Images)

“I love my sister, but I can’t talk about her. She doesn’t want to talk about it,” he said at the time. “And also, my daughter’s told me also not to talk about her, but I stumble and do. I’m not supposed to talk about either of them, but I do.”

However, he didn’t hesitate to gush about his daughter’s acting career and everything she’s achieved. “I am in love with my daughter’s work these days, like I can’t believe how great she’s become,” he said. “I’m so proud of her I can’t see straight."

Eric shared similar sentiments about Emma during a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, describing how it’s “so much fun” for him to see her succeed. “And she’s never had any training, so she’s been on the job training her whole career, and it’s been lovely for me to watch her become an actor... I love her work,” he said.

In his new memoir, Eric also issued a public apology to his sister for a remark he made to Vanity Fair in 2018, which was when he claimed: “If it wasn’t for me, there would be no Julia Roberts.” He also alleged that before Julia’s success, he was the one who walked into New York talent agency William Morris in 1985 and asked: “Which one of you is going to sign my sister Julia?”

“I hope Julia will accept this public apology. It was an asinine thing to say,” he wrote in the memoir. The pair have had a rocky relationship since becoming estranged in 2005.

Eric – who has been married to wife Eliza Roberts since 1992 – went on to discuss how his years-long drug addiction wrecked his relationship with his younger sisters, Julia, Maid in Manhattan actor Lisa Roberts Gillan, and half-sister Nancy Motes, who died in 2014.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they suffered from PTSD from when it was dangerous to be around me,” he wrote. “Lisa and Julia needed love and protection – instead they got fear and uncertainty.”

If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here. In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.