
Eric Roberts Talks 'Gifted' Family, 'Fraud' Government

Visiting the multiplex over the last couple of weekends, you might have seen Eric Roberts in 'The Expendables,' the veteran tough-guy reunion movie that's been No. 1 at the box office since it opened two weeks ago. Or you might have caught his sister, Julia, in 'Eat Pray Love,' which has been close behind on the box office chart. Or, on a handful of art house screens, you may have seen Eric's daughter Emma in 'Twelve.'
It's been a good month for the Roberts clan, and no one is prouder than Eric, who says he's thrilled with all the successes of his extended family. That includes his stepchildren, Keaton and Morgan Simons, the grown kids of his wife Eliza, who are making splashes of their own. As for Eliza, a casting director and actress in her own right, she's the one Roberts credits for his current successes, from 'The Expendables' to 'The Young and the Restless,' where he has a guest stint this summer. Via her decision-making ("I let her do my thinking for me, and it's paid off," Roberts says), the actor's career management and publicity are also being kept in the family.
Roberts' current high profile is a nice bonus for the 54-year-old actor, who's not often in the spotlight despite a busy schedule that often has him appearing in as many as a dozen movies or TV projects a year. Still, he found time to call
PopEater to talk about his family, how he stays straight (and fit), his top-secret political project and his efforts to project a "smart, sane" new image.
How did it feel going up against your sister's movie at the box office?
I don't like that word, "against."
"Opposite," then. Is this the first time your movies have opened opposite each other?
We've been in theaters together lots of times. This was the first time we opened on the same day. There are a lot of Robertses and Simonses in the business, so it's cool, but there are bound to be family opening days. I'm just so glad neither my sister's nor my movie did badly. A Roberts movie was No. 1 and No. 2 the first week, which thrilled me.
And your daughter Emma was in theaters at the same time with 'Twelve.'
Isn't that cool? Who knew?
Do you have any advice for her now that she's taking on adult roles?
She's at an age where the parents don't give advice. She's 19 and she's not interested in advice. If we give it, we're only hassling.
You mentioned the Simonses. What are your stepchildren doing?
My stepson is on the edge of becoming a huge rock and roll superstar. If you go to my website,
EricRobertsActor.com, there are links to his music. Or you can go to his website,
KeatonSimons.com. He just came off tour with REO Speedwagon and Pat Benatar, where he opened for them, and he's kickin' ass. If you listen to his music, you'll understand why I'm so excited about him. It's not at all about the fact that we're related. It's about the fact that he's brilliant. He blows my mind, and I'm a huge fan. In fact, he's my favorite singer-songwriter since Cat Stevens. That's a matter of fact, not a false compliment.
And your stepdaughter Morgan is a chef whose catering business serves healthy food to celebrity clients?
I just want to make sure that, in my middle years now, you are what you eat, and if you want to eat perfect, go to
ACateringCo.com and you will. It's not because she's my stepdaughter, any more than that's why I recommend Keaton, because he's so brilliant. It's not because I married their mom. It's just that these three people are extraordinarily gifted, and I'm really lucky to be in their lives. So I just want to push them.
You're also touting the site Yoga With Jocelyn. What's your connection to that?
Yoga and pilates are the answer to staying straight and fit. I want more people to know that. I'm not a muscle guy. I'm just your standard, medium height, medium weight, toned, cut guy. But I'm not a muscle guy because of yoga and pilates, which I firmly believe in.
Your wife Eliza oversees your career and serves as your publicist?
I have the most intelligent wife on the planet, which really helps. She's just so f**kin' smart, dude. I let her do my thinking for me, and it's paid off. I call her "The Boss." And it saves me four grand a month. Who knew?
I don't really have an image. The image that I have is peculiar because ... I don't have an image. Everybody just weighs me out from what I've played. Most people think I'm very peculiar. And that's okay. It's been a lot of fun, but now I'm ready to play smart.
Are there roles you'd like to play that you don't usually get to play?
I want to play guys who have a reason for understanding and dissecting our government. I think our government is a fraud. It was exposed how fraudulent it was during the Bush Jr. years. I want to pursue making that understandable to the public. It's time that we took our country back. It got away from us through Bush. He left Obama with such an economic hole that he's having trouble shining. It's because of Bush, but Bush doesn't have the intelligence God gave a pigeon, so Bush was just a frontman. So there's a lot of problems I would like to expose through entertainment. So that's what I'm pursuing next.
Do you have a project in development that will explore those issues?
I do indeed.
What can you say about it?
Not a thing yet.
Is your stint on 'The Young and the Restless' ongoing?
It sure is, pal. In fact, I'm told behind the producers' back that they want to keep me. As long as it can be my day job, I'll stay. Because they offered me a smart, intelligent character, which I don't get offered a lot of. I get offered a lot of psychopaths or a lot of idiots. Which I love playing. They're fun. But it's also fun playing somebody smart. I hope the industry takes the soap's lead, and they cast me as a smart, sane person with great lighting and fantastic clothes. It's fun to look like a movie star on TV. They stop lighting you when you hit your fifties. It's like, "Okay, he's not a lead anymore, f**k it." But on a soap, everybody's pretty and everybody's a leading man and everybody wears great clothes, and that's fun.
The guy that I'm playing on 'The Young and the Restless,' he's an attorney, he's really smart. Some people would view him as a bad guy, other people would view him as a genius. So I love those kind of guys. That's the kind of guy I want to play.
Read more of this conversation with Eric Roberts at Moviefone, where he discusses the surprise success of 'The Expendables,' his dream reunion project with Mickey Rourke, and what's behind his tireless work ethic.
• Follow Gary Susman on Twitter @garysusman.
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this guy is nothing but an idiot!
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obama is an empty suit, idiot!
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PWT all the way!
I'll agree with him that our president is nothing more than a front man for the party he represents. It's been that way for decades and most people think our president regardless of the party is actually head of the Executive branch; these days he's simply a spokesman (it's been that way for a LONG time). As an American, I'm sadly disappointed people aren't more aware of the divisiveness that each party and the media continually perpetrate upon our society.
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it was fraudulent before bush and still fraudulent after him. obama isn't shining because he's got nothing to shine except more talk and political smoke screen.
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amen!
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WAIT, IS THIS THE SAME DRUG ADDICT ERIC ROBERTS WHO IS CURRENTLY
PIMPING HIMSELF OUT ON CELERITY REHAB WITH TOM SIZEMORE?
YOU SAY GEORGE BUSH IS STUPID?
LIKE SIZEMORE YOU WERE ONCE A GREAT ACTOR, I THINK THE DRUGS GOT
TO YOU SIR.
YOU ARE STUCK DOING DAY TIME SOAPS NOW. QUIT AN ACTING RANGE.
PLEASE STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW BEST, WEED, NOT POLITICS!!
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he is right... keaton is brilliant! been a big fan for awhile and he is a super nice guy too.
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Obama now isn't shining because of bush? It has nothing to do with the fact that he has no Idea what he is doing? Alrighty then. Well now I know not to go see any of his movies. I do not want to support is agenda or obamas agenda.
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I am starting to like Eric... Our country didn't just get in this mess... Bush left it tattered and stripped of values and funds...
I love our President, too! It's so lovely to have a President who is an intelligent, thoughtful person who also works for the people. We haven't had that in a very, very long time!
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Things between Eric and Julia were never very good, and I don't know why. Even with all his drug problems he still turned in some fine performances. Perhaps Julia was jealous, but there was a definite coldness between them. I've always liked Eric, but Julia seemed stuck up, and didn't speak of him much.
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i argee she does seem stuck up, but to more family is important, you can fight and dislike each other, but family is family. I also wonder does eric and julia issuess make it had for thier children to have an relationship with each other?? hummm......................
Julia turned cool to Eric when he was arrested for domestic violence against Emma's mother. He also was arrested for shoving another woman and for drug violations. Eric and Julia have reconciled in recent years. Might be good to do a little research before accusing Julia...
Like everything except the Obama/Bush thing we agree to dissagree
I loe Keaton he is very sweet great guy. Liza is a doll
very talented and nice family family
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Well Eric, ol' on-screen buddy and pal... there's an ol' saying. Open mouth - insert foot. This to inform you that you should have learned a lesson from Ernest Borgnine. If you're an actor, keep your political mouth shut and act. Politics? Leave it to professionals. You just can't imagine how many tickets sales you cost both the Roberts family and the Simons. Your vehemence against Bush and gushing love for Obama shows you're an outright idiot! And who wants to pay money to watch an idiot?
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How can any of you think this is "vehemence" against Bush? It's the absolute truth, and you all are apparently too ignorant to recognize what a disaster "dubya" was...!
I feel sorry for someone that messed up.
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"But on a soap, everybody's pretty and everybody's a leading man and everybody wears great clothes, and that's fun."
Dude your STILL on drugs. If you think people do anything but laugh at ,,,lol,,, "soap" actors, your a true idiot. The biggest fakes and the very worse actors get these 6th rated shows to live off of. Your ...lol,,,"talents" as an actor are basically defined,,,you suck. Why you have lowered yourself to this, (oh well, I know why, you need the money apperently), is beyond me. I remember as well your stating, "my sister got thru hollywood on her knees". She is still the most over rated so called star out there. She's terrible as far as acting. She is really nothing but teeth. You have always been and will be a d rated actor and so will the rest of your clan.
If you actually think your some good lookin guy cause your on a soap, you really have fallen asleep in a tanning bed for than once, and it sure shows.
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