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On the Still Here Hollywood podcast, Eric Roberts said his sister, Julia Roberts, did not want him to talk about her, and that his daughter, Emma Roberts, had also told him not to discuss her. “I’m not supposed to talk about either of them. But I do,” he said. The interview was recorded in April 2024 and drew widespread attention in July. It did not establish why either woman wanted that boundary.
What did Eric Roberts say about Julia and Emma?
In his conversation with host Steve Kmetko on Still Here Hollywood, Eric was asked about Julia. He answered, “You’ll have to ask her,” then said, “I love my sister, but I can’t talk about her. She doesn’t wanna talk about it.” He went on to say that Emma had also told him not to talk about her, summing up: “I’m not supposed to talk about either of them. But I do.” CNN Newsource’s account of the interview reproduces the exchange.
Roberts also praised Emma’s acting in the same conversation. “I am in love with my daughter’s work these days like I can’t, I can’t believe how great she’s become,” he said, adding, “I’m so proud of her I can’t see straight.” His remarks combined a stated limit on discussing her with admiration for her work.
When was the interview recorded, and when did it become news?
The interview was recorded in April 2024, according to the Los Angeles Times. The exchange received broad press attention in July, after Emma’s comments about the “nepo baby” label were also in the news. The recording date and the later publication coverage are distinct points in the timeline.
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Why did they ask him not to talk about them?
The public account does not give a detailed reason. Roberts characterized Julia as not wanting him to discuss her and said Emma had told him not to talk about her; those are his descriptions of private conversations, not independent confirmation from either woman. The remark itself does not establish a cause, such as a family dispute or estrangement.
Some coverage has described Eric and Emma’s relationship as apparently estranged, while acknowledging that the reason was not known. That is an outlet’s characterization, not a fact established by this interview. Us Weekly’s July 2024 report also notes that neither Julia nor Emma had publicly addressed the rumored drama at the time.
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What is the context around Julia and Emma?
Eric’s account of his relationship with Julia
In a 2022 podcast appearance, Eric said reports of conflict with Julia had grown out of comments he made during a press tour after Pretty Woman, and said those reports did not reflect issues he believed he had with his sister. This is his account of that history, not independent evidence about their private relationship. Us Weekly reported his comments.
Emma’s comments about famous relatives
Separately, Emma has discussed how having famous relatives affected her career. She said she had lost jobs because of her family associations and felt she had to prove herself more. Those comments formed part of the surrounding news cycle, but do not explain her reported request that Eric not discuss her. The Us Weekly coverage of her remarks treats them as her account of career pressures.
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What later remarks and his memoir add—and what they do not
In an April 2026 appearance on Really Famous With Kara Mayer Robinson, Eric spoke about how outsiders view his relationship with Emma and praised her as an actor. In a July 2026 retrospective, Us Weekly quoted him saying that the relationship is “only complicated through outside eyes” and that he is proud of his daughter. That is a later, separate comment; it does not explain the request he described in 2024 or clarify what either woman wanted kept private.
Eric’s 2024 memoir, Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far, offers his broader personal account. It should not be treated as a definitive explanation of the specific boundary discussed on the podcast.
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