Trivia

He is the older brother of Julia Roberts and Lisa Roberts Gillan.

He became a father for the 1st time at age 34 when his [now ex] girlfriend Kelly Cunningham gave birth to their daughter Emma Rose Roberts, aka Emma Roberts, on February 10, 1991.

On June 4, 1981, he was driving in Connecticut with then-girlfriend Sandy Dennis's German Shepherd in the passenger seat when he crashed his jeep into a tree. While the dog escaped serious injury, Roberts spent 72 hours in a coma and was hospitalized for more than a month, forcing him to drop out of the Broadway show Mass Appeal.

He has made just one movie - Blood Red (1989) - with sister Julia Roberts.

From playing the Master in Doctor Who (1996), which was failed attempt to relaunch Doctor Who (1963) as an ongoing series (it was a ratings hit in the UK but flopped in America), he nevertheless achieved a unique place in the history of the series for several reasons. He is the only non-British actor to play the Master, the only Oscar-nominated actor to play the Master and the only actor to play a villain in both the Batman and Doctor Who franchises.

His left hand ring finger is permanently disfigured, as a result of a 1980s car accident.

He quit drinking alcohol in 1995.

Some of Eric Roberts' boxing moves were once choreographed by actor Danny Trejo.

He is good friends with Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do & is also a practitioner of Shotokan Karate, Kyokushin Karate, Hapkido & Shaolin Kung Fu.

He played the villain in the music video for Mr. Brightside by The Killers.

To date, he has filmed movies in over 17 countries (2010).

Before he became a movie star, he appeared in at least two soap operas. Another World (1964) and How to Survive a Marriage (1974).

He is a vegan and Animal Rights activist.

He was trained in Tae Kwon Do and Jujitsu for a short time.

He became a grandfather for the first time in December 2020 when his daughter Emma gave birth to her first child, a son named Rhodes Robert Hedlund, with actor Garrett Hedlund.

He was chosen to act in Royal Kill (2009) when the Wrestling Choreographer, Ranjan Chhibber, a big Doctor Who (1963) fan, suggested to the director Roberts be hired because he loved his performance as the Master in the Doctor Who (1996) made-for-TV movie on Fox.

As a child he was inspired to become an actor after watching Robert Donat's performance in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939).

Alumnus of the AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), Class of 1977.

He and his wife have five cats. One of them is blind.

In Doctor Who (1996), he became the sixth actor to portray the Master, an evil renegade Time Lord. The character had previously been played in the BBC's science-fiction series Doctor Who (1963) by Roger Delgado from 1971 until 1973, Peter Pratt in 1976, Geoffrey Beevers in 1981 and Anthony Ainley from 1981 until 1989. In the 1996 TV movie, the Master was played briefly by Gordon Tipple, then by Eric Roberts while in a human body. He was succeeded in the role by Derek Jacobi, John Simm and Michelle Gomez in Doctor Who (2005).

He was nominated for "Best Supporting Actor" in Abstraction (2013) at the 2013 Action On Film International Film Festival.

He has worked with Mickey Rourke in three films: they co-starred in 1984's The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), in 2002's Spun (2002), Roberts had a glorified cameo in Rourke's film and in 2010's The Expendables (2010), Rourke had more of a glorified cameo to Roberts' bad-guy role, but they had no scenes together in this one.

Roberts and his stepson Keaton Simons had not spoken to each other for 16 years following a violent argument. They reunited in 2010 on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew (2008). He entered the reality TV rehabilitation clinic in an attempt to combat a marijuana addiction.

He appeared with actor Clarence Williams III in Ja Rule music video "Down ass chick".

Was Janet Tamaro's original choice for the role of Vince Korsak in Rizzoli & Isles (2010) but declined & the role was given to Bruce McGill instead.

The only actor to play a villain in both the Batman and Doctor Who franchises.

He has English, German, Swedish, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh ancestry.

He was listed as a potential nominee on the 2008 Razzie Award nominating ballot. He was suggested in the Worst Supporting Actor category for his performance in the film DOA: Dead or Alive (2006), he failed to receive a nomination however.

He attended Grady High School in Atlanta, Georgia.

He came to fame with King of the Gypsies (1978).

He has played a Cop in the music video B... Better have my money from the singer Rihanna.(2015).

He was attached to co-star in Dolph Lundgren's Command Performance (2009).

From 1980 to 1985, he lived with Sandy Dennis.

He has a niece named Hazel Moder (aka Hazel Patricia Moder) and nephews Finn Moder (aka Phinnaeus Walter Moder) and Henry Daniel Moder from Sister Julia Roberts.

He is the brother-in-law of Tony Gillan and Daniel Moder.

He is the step-father of Keaton Simons and Morgan Simons.

He is the son-in-law of David Rayfiel and Lila Garrett.

Narrated The Alternative Miss World (1980).