Eric Anthony Roberts was born on April 18, 1956, in Biloxi, Mississippi. He was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. From an early age two things seemed destined to be. Eric seemed destined to be an actor and the road of his life was set to be a difficult one. Eric's parents, Walter and Betty Lou Roberts, ran the Actor's and Writer's Workshop in Atlanta. At the age of five, Eric appeared on stage for the first time in a Christmas play called Toys for Tots. The part was a non-speaking one because young Eric had a horrible stutter. The stage was actually therapy for him at first because his father found that when Eric learned his lines he was able to speak them clearly. Eric played various roles in numerous plays and took the work very seriously.

While Eric Roberts was still very young his parents divorced. The split was a bitter one. Eric continued to live in Atlanta with his father. Meanwhile, his mother moved to nearby Smyrna, Georgia, with Eric's two little sisters, Lisa and Julie, where she eventually married Michael Motes. Eric had little contact with his mother from that point on.

By the age of thirteen young Eric began to use drugs and alcohol to numb the pain he could not comprehend. He hung out with a tough crowd and fought frequently. The only stable things in his life were his father and acting.

With his father's encouragement and financial sacrifice Eric left for London at the age of seventeen to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. From there he went to New York City and the American Academy of Dramatic Art. He only studied at the American Academy for a year before leaving to pursue his career.

Eric made numerous stage appearances Off-Broadway and landed a TV role on "Another World" as Ted Bancroft by 1976. His acclaimed film debut in KIng of the Gypsies followed shortly after in 1978. It was a bittersweet success. The role came only one short month after his mentor father, Walter, died of cancer.

Because of Eric's talent and his extreme good looks, his career skyrocketed, but his personal life was still in upheaval. He was addicted to drugs, alcohol, and women. He used the drugs and alcohol to numb the pain and his relationships with women to try to find the comfort he so desperately needed.

In June of 1981 life dealt Eric Roberts another difficult blow. While driving down a winding mountain road in Connecticut, Eric lost control of his CJ5 Jeep and ran it into a tree. He suffered a brain trauma that left him in a coma for three days and multiple broken bones. He fought his way back quickly. He learned to cope with his memory loss while his bones were healing. Getting back to work seemed an even tougher task. His angelic good looks had been affected by his injuries. He was considered damaged goods. Bob Fosse decided to give Eric another chance and cast him as Paul Snider in Star80.

Three more power movie roles followed including, The Pope of Greenwich Village and Runaway Train. Roberts received both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actor for his work in Runaway Train. Then once again Eric's life took a sharp turn in the wrong direction. Eric had gotten a reputation as being hard to deal with and became difficult to employ. After a series of bad investments, Eric found himself needing to make some money. He started to take almost every role offered him. It did nothing for his professional reputation, but helped his bankroll considerably. Roberts continued on this track until the early 90's when two things happened.

First, his daughter, Emma, was born. Second, Eric met Eliza Garrett; the woman who would steal his heart and become his wife. Between his love for Emma and Eliza's support of him, Eric underwent a dramatic change. He started a twelve-step program to get sober. He started letting go of the pain and anger that had held him in its grip for most of his life. He put his life on the right track.

Now, at the age of forty-two, Eric Roberts seems to be a man at peace with himself, finally. He enjoys time spent with his daughter, romantic moments with his lovely wife, and a career that once again seems promising.