Eric Roberts Actor Date of Birth: 18.04.1956 Country: USA

Biography of Eric Roberts

Most people associate the name 'Roberts' with Hollywood and Julia Roberts, who is considered one of the highest-paid actresses in the industry. However, the successful beginning of her career owes much to her older brother, Eric Roberts, who is also a well-known actor. Eric Roberts has appeared in over four hundred roles, has been nominated for Golden Globe and Oscar awards, and has a considerable bank account and a beautiful home in Los Angeles. He inherited his artistic talent from his parents. Walter Roberts was a director and head of a theater studio in Atlanta, while his wife, Betty Lou, performed on stage. On April 18, 1956, two months before the expected birth, Betty Lou went on a business trip by plane. Unexpectedly, she went into labor during the flight. The birth was very difficult, and Eric has always believed that his mother never loved him because of the suffering she endured. As a child, Eric suffered from a speech impediment, and Walter, his father, took it upon himself to help him overcome it by making him memorize long pieces of text. Eric's diction improved, and at the age of five, he participated in his father's play, "Little Pioneers." Later, two more daughters, Lisa and Julia, were born into the family, but despite this, the relationship between Walter and Betty Lou deteriorated. When Eric was 14, his parents divorced. He stayed with his father while the girls went with their mother, who never saw her son again. Eric, who preferred the company of troubled teenagers, caused his father a lot of worry. However, Walter saw his son's undeniable acting talent and, despite their difficult financial situation, decided to give him a good education. At the age of sixteen, Eric went to London, where he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and Walter Roberts, in order to pay the hefty tuition fees, took on a job as a supermarket cashier. The young man enjoyed his independence, immersed himself in bohemian life and drugs, which were common at artistic gatherings, but he also did not neglect his studies. In 1976, after completing his course, he went to New York, where he continued his training at the American Academy, performed on Broadway, and auditioned for films. In 1977, he was offered his first role in the TV movie "Another World." However, a month before the premiere, Walter Roberts died of stomach cancer, which he had carefully kept hidden from his children. This was a terrible blow to Eric, who sought solace in drugs and reckless relationships with women. However, film directors noticed the talented young actor with his unusual appearance. In 1978, he starred alongside Brooke Shields in "The Pirate Movie," followed by "The Ambulance Chaser." But then, in an instant, Eric's life was hanging by a thread. A race on a Harley ended in a crash, and arriving police officers initially assumed he was dead. Even the doctors were not optimistic - the young actor spent several days in a coma, his limbs were paralyzed, and his face was disfigured. However, Eric survived, although his appearance had changed somewhat. Paradoxically, after recovering, he began to be offered many roles, albeit negative characters. The first of these was the main character in "Star 80." The film directed by Bob Fosse, in which the charming Mariel Hemingway, the granddaughter of the famous writer, starred, was a great box office success. This was followed by "Greenville Village," where Eric met and befriended Mickey Rourke, and "The Coca-Cola Kid," which was nominated for an Oscar. He also starred in "Runaway Train," directed by Konchalovsky. The actor was experiencing a creative and financial high. In 1986, he invited his sister Julia, who was starting her acting career, to star alongside him in the action film "Black Widow." The film was not released for a long time, during which time Julia played several small roles and managed to impress directors. After "Mystic Pizza" and "Steel Magnolias," for which Julia received a Golden Globe, her rating surpassed that of her brother. As for Eric, playing negative characters had a negative effect on his character, and his countless love affairs and drug abuse ruined his reputation. In 1991, actress Kelly Cunningham gave birth to his daughter Emma. Shortly after, Roberts decided to end their relationship and keep the child, offering the former lover a substantial sum of money. Kelly refused and, with the support of Julia Roberts, went to court, which denied the father's rights to raise the girl. Eric could not forgive his sister for her performances in court or Cunningham's financial support (and possibly the tremendous success of "Pretty Woman") and severed ties with them. The actor continued to receive many invitations from directors and appeared in 4-5 films a year. From the second half of the 1990s, he predominantly appeared in TV series and had the luxury of choosing roles. Detective drama "Dark Angel," a continuation of "Doctor Who," the sitcom "Frasier," Konchalovsky's film "The Odyssey," and others were well-received by audiences. In 1992, Roberts married Eliza Garrett, his co-star. However, their married life was complicated by drug addiction and Eric's difficult temperament. In 1995, the police even arrested the actor for domestic violence, after which the couple separated for some time. It should be noted that Roberts learned from this experience. He engages in daily workouts, managed to break free from drugs and alcohol, became a vegan, and even gave up wearing woolen clothing. He became a model family man, and when Julia gave birth to twins Phinnaeus and Hazel in 2004, he visited her in the hospital and publicly announced his wonderful relationship with his sister. Despite his advanced age, Eric Roberts continues to appear in numerous films. He has visited Russia several times, played Larry Coyote in the TV series "Russians in the City of Angels" (2003), served on the jury of several film festivals, and even expressed interest in obtaining Russian citizenship. His daughter, Emma, has already appeared in several films and gained notoriety for her fiery temperament and even assaulting her boyfriend, Evan Peters. Eric Roberts' recent works include Russian-American films. In 2017, the renowned actor played the US Secretary of State in the action film "Maximum Impact," and currently, work is underway on the thriller "The Oracle." In 2018, Roberts appeared as a jury member at the BRIDGE of ARTS festival in Rostov. He received an award from the governor of the region for his special contribution to cinematography. The artist participated in the creation of the documentary film "Victory. One for All" for the "Culture" channel in 2020. The film featured readings of military letters from soldiers of allied countries. In addition to Roberts, Pierre Richard, Malcolm McDowell, and Russian actor Sergei Nikonenko also appeared in the film. Currently, the actor is expanding his filmography not only with American projects. In an interview, he confessed that he was excited about filming in the Russian film "Brother 3," the premiere of which is scheduled for the end of 2022. The main roles in the film were given to the Torsoev brothers, Yuri and Vladimir, known for their roles in "The Adventures of Electronics."