While appearing on the podcast Really Famous with Kara Mayer Robinson<\/a>, the actor, 69, reflected on the birth of Emma in 1991 and how he was struggling deeply at the time.<\/p>\n \u201cI was emotionally \u2026 a wash rag,\u201d he said. \u201cI was not to be depended on emotionally whatsoever, because I was a car wreck.\u201d<\/p>\n Eric added that he takes \u201cfull responsibility\u201d for that period in his life, pointing to a mix of personal struggles, addiction and depression. \u201cI was a car wreck because of many things,\u201d he said, explaining that part of it stemmed from \u201cunderstanding the horrible negative things\u201d about his father and realizing that what had been instilled in him \u201cas loyalty was absolute recklessness.\u201d<\/p>\n The admission stands in contrast to how Eric describes Emma\u2019s birth itself, a moment he still calls unforgettable. When Emma, now 35, was born, the moment unfolded in a way he says he\u2019ll always cherish, as he detailed her \u201cscreaming her head off” while he sang “Happy Birthday” to her.<\/p>\n Eric Roberts pictured on March 15, 2026 “And she stopped screaming and tried to find my face with her little blind eyes,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n For Eric, the connection felt immediate. \u201cIt was the most complete moment maybe I have ever had in my life \u2014 that something I did was recognized by a brand-new creature who had my DNA,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd there she was. And she already knew me. \u2026 It was magic. And I\u2019ll always have that.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, as he later acknowledged, that emotional high didn\u2019t translate into readiness for fatherhood.<\/p>\n In his 2024 memoir Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far<\/a>, Eric admitted that despite falling \u201cmadly in love\u201d with his daughter, he struggled with the realities of parenting.<\/p>\n \u201cThe pregnancy was very exciting,\u201d he wrote. \u201cI fell madly in love with Emma the first minute I saw her. We\u2019d even tried to bring on labor so it could happen exactly on the due date. It was a natural birth. I sang \u2018Happy Birthday\u2019 to her belly a lot. When Emma finally made her appearance, she wasn\u2019t quite quiet and mellow, but when I started singing \u2018Happy Birthday\u2019 to her, she must have recognized my voice because she calmed right down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI loved my little daughter with the strength of Hercules, despite my own weaknesses,\u201d he wrote. \u201cHowever, I couldn\u2019t handle the realities of an infant coming into my life, and I couldn\u2019t handle being a parent! I\u2019m still not a father figure.\u201d<\/p>\n Eric also reflected on his relationship with Emma\u2019s mother, Kelly Cunningham<\/a>, and the aftermath of their split. \u201cI had abandoned Kelly when Emma was just 7 months old,\u201d he wrote. \u201cWe went through a lot, and [Kelly] saw me at my absolute worst \u2014 yet she stayed, for a time, though I\u2019m sure she questioned whether or not she should.\u201d<\/p>\n On the podcast, Eric pushed back on outside perceptions of his relationship with his daughter, suggesting much of the narrative has been shaped by speculation. \u201cIt\u2019s only complicated through outside eyes because they don\u2019t get any of it,\u201d he said. \u201cSo they have their own take \u2026 but it\u2019s not a real relationship with the subjects.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite everything, Eric said his pride in Emma has never wavered. \u201cI\u2019m so proud of my daughter,\u201d he said. \u201cBring her up all day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLife is very complicated,\u201d he added. \u201cBut what\u2019s great about life as you get older is you realize that nobody gets away with it. So be as nice as you can \u2026 so you can have a pleasant situation.\u201d<\/p>\n Emma Roberts pictured in 2012 with aunt Julia Roberts Now a grandfather, Eric says he sees a shift in how families navigate parenting today<\/a>, noting that modern dynamics feel more open and accepting than when he was raising Emma, who shares her son Rhodes, 5, with ex Garrett Hedlund. \u201cIt\u2019s nice that we\u2019re in a different place now,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s a much better place.\u201d<\/p>\n Over the years, Eric has been vocal about his pride in his daughter, even if he admits he\u2019s been told to keep quiet.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not supposed to talk about either of them,\u201d he said on a 2024 episode of the Still Here Hollywood<\/a> podcast, referencing both Emma and his sister Julia Roberts<\/a>. \u201cBut I do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m in love with my daughter\u2019s work these days,\u201d he said at the time. \u201cI can\u2019t believe how great she\u2019s become.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so proud of her I can\u2019t see straight,\u201d he added. \u201cI\u2019m just so happy to be her dad, because she\u2019s kicking ass. And I\u2019m so proud.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking back on his life, Eric has been open about personal growth. \u201cThe hardest person to protect yourself from is yourself,\u201d he told Vanity Fair<\/a> in 2018, reflecting on how his past behavior impacted his relationship with his sisters, including Julia.<\/p>\n Today, though, it\u2019s moments like Emma\u2019s birth that stand out most \u2014 memories he describes as nothing short of life-defining. \u201cWe recognized each other in her first moments of life,\u201d he said on the Really Famous podcast<\/a>. \u201cIt was the most incredible thing I\u2019ve ever been through.\u201d<\/p>\n Read the original article on People<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Eric](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/8307b54efa6e689a6c70b4d4735f1435.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Olivia Wong\/Getty<\/p>\n![\"Emma](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/780e1bc33e171ca5e8535b1c7f153555.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Jeff Kravitz\/FilmMagic<\/p>\n