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.

He has made just one movie - Un fusil pour l'honneur (1989) - with sister Julia Roberts.

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.

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

From playing the Master in Le seigneur du temps (1996), which was failed attempt to relaunch Docteur 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.

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.

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

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

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. Un autre monde (1964) and How to Survive a Marriage (1974).

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 is a vegan and Animal Rights activist.

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

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

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

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

In Le seigneur du temps (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 Docteur 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.

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

He has worked with Mickey Rourke in three films: they co-starred in 1984's Le pape de Greenwich Village (1984), in 2002's Spun (2002), Roberts had a glorified cameo in Rourke's film and in 2010's Expendables : Unité spéciale (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.

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.

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

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

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

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 Le Roi des gitans (1978).

From 1980 to 1985, he lived with Sandy Dennis.

He was attached to co-star in Dolph Lundgren's Commando d'élite (2009).

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

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.

He was considered for the role of Johnny Castle in "Dirty Dancing" (1987) but lost to Patrick Swayze.

Narrated The Alternative Miss World (1980).