CELEBRITY
Eric Roberts Admits He’s ‘Still Not a Father Figure’ to Daughter Emma Roberts
Eric Roberts is opening up about his shortcomings as a father.
In his new memoir Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far, the 68-year-old actor, who has amassed more than 700 acting credits, credits opened up about struggling to be a father to daughter Emma Roberts, whom he shares with ex-partner Kelly Cunningham, admitting that he’s “still not a father figure” to her.
“I had abandoned Kelly when Emma was just seven months old,” Eric wrote, via EW. “We went through a lot, and [Kelly] saw me at my absolute worst — yet she stayed, for a time, though I’m sure she questioned whether or not she should. We both wanted a child — maybe I did more than she — but we both wanted to become parents.”
Eric then went on to recall his excitement about becoming a father, writing, “The pregnancy was very exciting. I fell madly in love with Emma the first minute I saw her. We’d even tried to bring on labor so it could happen exactly on the due date. It was a natural birth. I sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her belly a lot. When Emma finally made her appearance, she wasn’t quite quiet and mellow, but when I started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her, she must have recognized my voice because she calmed right down.”
Despite his enthusiasm about being a father, Eric believed that he wasn’t suited for parenthood.
“I loved my little daughter with the strength of Hercules, despite my own weaknesses,” Eric wrote. “However, I couldn’t handle the realities of an infant coming into my life, and I couldn’t handle being a parent! I’m still not a father figure. Emma, on the other hand, certainly knows what that role is — now grown up and a mom herself. She’s that person to her first child, Rhodes.”
He then attributed his parenting struggles to his drug addiction.
“The biggest consequence of my drug use was losing Emma,” Eric wrote. “I was still impossibly coked up when she was born, which explains everything.”
Also in the memoir, Eric apologized for comments he made about sister Julia Roberts.
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