Julia Roberts celebrated her 59th birthday with a heartwarming tribute from her niece, Emma Roberts, who shared a rare family photo on Instagram. The snapshot showed the Pretty Woman star embracing Emma, accompanied by a caption from Emma expressing her love for her aunt.
Family Dynamics and Wedding Absence
The photo emerged months after Eric Roberts, Julia's brother and Emma's father, was notably absent from Emma's July wedding to Cody John. While Julia Roberts and her husband Danny Moder were in attendance at the Idaho nuptials, Eric Roberts was not present. Sources told the Daily Mail that Emma did not invite her father to the wedding due to a long-standing friction and her feeling that he had not been a supportive father. "She has been mad at him for many years, mostly because she feels he has not been a supportive father. He wasn't around when she was young," a source revealed.
Emma's decision to have her five-year-old son, Rhodes, walk her down the aisle further highlighted her father's absence. Despite the star-studded guest list, which included Demi Moore, Kristen Stewart, and Sarah Paulson, Eric Roberts' absence was conspicuous.
Eric Roberts' Past Struggles and Relationships
Eric Roberts has been open about his past struggles with substance addiction and his acknowledgment of not being the most dependable father to Emma. He previously admitted to not being "depended on emotionally whatsoever." In an interview earlier this year, he described his relationship with Emma as "complicated" to outsiders but expressed pride in her accomplishments. He also noted that becoming a grandfather had brought into focus the magnitude of what he had lost in his relationship with Emma, particularly as his eldest granddaughter resembles her.
Roberts' relationship with his sisters, Julia and Lisa, has also faced strain over the years, largely attributed to his past drug addiction. He recounted in his memoir, "Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far," an instance where he made a comment about Julia's success with "Pretty Woman" that was misinterpreted and caused a rift. However, he has maintained that he and Julia have always been "fine" and that their bond remains, despite them not always agreeing on many things.
Despite past estrangement, Eric Roberts has spoken fondly of seeing the bond between his sister Julia and his daughter Emma. The siblings reportedly reunited in 2004 when Julia welcomed twins, and they have maintained contact since then, sharing holidays and becoming "email buddies."