Eric Roberts has expressed his regrets towards his sister, Julia Roberts, in his newly released memoir, “Runaway Train.” The actor, known for his role in “The Dark Knight,” describes the book as containing a “public apology” to Julia.
Titled after the 1985 film that brought him Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, “Runaway Train: Or, The Story of My Life So Far,” was published earlier this week.
In the memoir, Roberts reflects on a difficult childhood with their parents, Walter Roberts and Betty Lou Bredemus, saying their father was troubled and envious of his career. After their parents divorced, Eric lived with their father, while Julia resided with their mother, who remarried.
Roberts recounts his early career highlights, including his role in “Runaway Train” and missing the chance to play Jesus in Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ.” He also discusses the adverse effects of his drug addiction, a serious car accident in 1981, and how these issues affected his memory. During this period, Julia began her acting career and eventually surpassed him in fame, prompting Eric to make statements like, “If it wasn’t for me, there would be no Julia Roberts.”
In his own words, Eric writes, “I hope Julia will accept this public apology,” acknowledging that a previous remark he made was foolish.
His struggles with addiction impacted his relationships with both Julia and their half-sister, Nancy Motes, with Eric noting that it was “dangerous to be around me.” He also shares that losing custody of his daughter, Emma Roberts, due to his addiction was a significant consequence, leading to a fallout with Julia, who sided with Emma’s mother, Kim Cunningham. In his memoir, Eric admits this was ultimately the right decision.
“I imagine I will remain as Julia’s brother and Emma Roberts’ dad for the rest of my life,” he states, expressing a desire to move forward positively and gracefully, which motivated him to write the book.
Earlier this year, Eric mentioned on the “Still Here Hollywood” podcast that he finds it challenging to discuss his sister or daughter. When asked about Julia, he said, “You’ll have to ask her. I love my sister, but I can’t talk about her.” He also acknowledged that his daughter had requested he refrain from speaking about her.
However, he did share his pride in Emma’s work, stating, “I’m in love with my daughter’s work these days. Like, I can’t believe how great she’s become. I’m so proud of her I can’t see straight.”