Eric Roberts, with an unflinching candor, lays bare the intricate tapestry of his life in his latest memoir, "Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far." At the age of 68, he delves into the tumultuous childhood in Georgia, the rollercoaster ride of his lengthy acting career, and extends a heartfelt public apology to his sister, Julia Roberts, 56, whose relationship with him has been fraught with complexities.
Just announced as a celebrity contestant for the upcoming season of "Dancing With The Stars," Roberts is the progeny of Walter Roberts and Betty Lou Bredemus, proprietors of an avant-garde acting academy for young talents in Atlanta. He portrays his father as a man besieged by alcoholism and prone to violent fits, haunted by his own abusive upbringing. A man, he recounts, who grew envious of his son's success, "a deeply troubled soul, unsafe for anyone to have as a father."
After their parents' divorce in 1971, Eric's mother remarried Michael Motes, while he stayed with his father, Walter, who succumbed to cancer in 1977. Julia, a decade his junior, along with their sisters Lisa (now 59) and Nancy Motes (Betty and Michael's daughter), settled with their mother in Smyrna, Georgia. At 17, Eric embarked on his acting journey in New York, tasting early success in films like "King of the Gypsies" (1978), followed by Bob Fosse's "Star 80" and "Pope of Greenwich Village" (1984), starring alongside Mickey Rourke. His portrayal of a fugitive convict in "Runaway Train" (1985) garnered him an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor.
Spanning over half a century, his illustrious career boasts of nearly 700 credits, rife with soaring triumphs and crushing setbacks. He passed on the role of Jesus in Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ," irrevocably severing ties with the esteemed director. A grave car accident in 1981 left him comatose for three days, exacerbating years of drug abuse that clouded his memory and recollections. As Julia ventured into the acting world in New York in 1985, Eric was entrenched in cocaine addiction, once brazenly claiming, "If it wasn't for me, there would be no Julia Roberts." In his new book, however, he retracts those words, acknowledging, "I hope Julia will accept this public apology. It was an asinine thing to have said."
Roberts confesses that his drug addiction devastated his bond with his sisters. "I wouldn't be surprised if they bore the scars of PTSD from those perilous days," he writes. "Lisa and Julia deserved love and shelter; instead, they encountered fear and uncertainty." The custody battle for his daughter, Emma Roberts, whom he shares with Kim Cunningham, stands as a poignant reminder of the consequences of his addiction. Their relationship crumbled when Emma was an infant, and Eric acknowledges that Julia's support for Cunningham during that tumultuous time further strained their ties.
Married to Eliza Garrett since 1992, Roberts reflects on the healing process, acknowledging that Julia's actions were justified. "I envision myself as Julia's brother and Emma Roberts' father till the end of time," he muses. "I aspire to honor those roles with dignity and grace. This book is, in part, a testament to that desire."
He also finds solace in reconciling with his father's legacy. "I knew I loved him, yet the shame of loving such a flawed man, capable of unspeakable deeds, consumed me," he reveals. "I was ashamed of being so much like him and yet so much a product of him." As he concludes, he offers a beacon of hope: "If you've ever cherished a parent with a cruel nature, it's never too late to heal from the shame and anguish it left behind."
