Eric Roberts Says He "Couldn't Handle" Being A Father To Emma Roberts

This article contains discussion of substance abuse.

If you don't 100% know Eric Roberts, you at least recognize him from a bunch of things. If you're watching this season of Dancing with the Stars, you can find him there, too.

Eric Roberts standing on a red carpet in front of a "Dancing with the Stars" backdrop. He is wearing a black outfit with gold embellishments on the top
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There's a good chance you know him best because of his famous family — like his sister Julia Roberts...

A woman with long, wavy hair wearing a simple black outfit smiles at the camera
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...And his daughter Emma Roberts, of course.

Emma Roberts is wearing a strapless black gown with ornate dangling earrings. She is looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression
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So, Eric has a new memoir out, Runaway Train: Or, the Story of My Life So Far — and in the book (via Entertainment Weekly), the veteran actor discloses his own regrets regarding how he handled parenting Emma when she was younger.

Eric Roberts is outdoors wearing sunglasses and a casual, long-sleeve shirt

Eric shares Emma with ex-partner Kelly Cunningham.

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"I had abandoned Kelly when Emma was just seven months old," he says, noting that his ex had also seen him at his "absolute worst."

Emma Roberts attends an event in a strapless, off-the-shoulder dress

"Yet she stayed, for a time, though I’m sure she questioned whether or not she should," he adds. "We both wanted a child — maybe I did more than she — but we both wanted to become parents."

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Eric also recalls Kelly's "very exciting" pregnancy with Emma, as well as singing "Happy Birthday" to her belly while Emma was still in the womb — but, when it came to being a parent to his daughter, Eric admits that there were things he could've done better.

Eric Roberts smiling, wearing black-framed glasses, a white shirt, and a checkered blazer
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"I loved my little daughter with the strength of Hercules, despite my own weaknesses," he writes. "However, I couldn’t handle the realities of an infant coming into my life, and I couldn’t handle being a parent! I’m still not a father figure."

Eric Roberts at an event, wearing a blue blazer, white shirt, and round glasses, standing in front of a floral backdrop
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Eric also states that his battle with drug addiction made it difficult for him to be a present parent to Emma when she was born and eventually resulted in his losing custody. "The biggest consequence of my drug use was losing Emma," he wrote. "I was still impossibly coked up when she was born, which explains everything."

Eric Roberts is seen smiling at a red carpet event, wearing a casual blue shirt under a brown blazer and black-framed glasses
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"Emma, on the other hand, certainly knows what that role is — now grown up and a mom herself. She’s that person to her first child, Rhodes."

Emma Roberts is photographed against a plain backdrop, wearing a plunging black top and golden earrings
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In the book, Eric also clears up long-standing rumors that he and Julia had "a giant falling out" over an alleged custody battle between him and Kelly over Emma.

Emma Roberts and Julia Roberts pose together at an event, both smiling. Emma is in a blazer, and Julia is wearing a black dress with white collar and cuffs
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"I never saw myself as someone who deserved to have physical custody of Emma, not in a million years," he claims. "We both knew better than that. Kelly never claimed I was trying to get physical custody of Emma, so therefore, Julia never sided with Kelly in a custody fight."

Eric Roberts stands against a purple backdrop with logos and text reading "The Private Eye." He is wearing glasses, a tan jacket, and a blue shirt
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"There really was no custody fight. I’m very happy to be straightening this out right now."

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Eric goes on to claim that Julia actually helped him with legal fees regarding the establishment of the custody agreement between him and Kelly — and that along with their other sister Lisa Gillan, Julia ultimately just wanted Eric's newfound parenthood to help him find his way.

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"My sisters were hoping that my having fathered a child that I loved with the woman I was with would maybe calm me down and make me more stable as a person," he explains. "Unfortunately, the stability has to come first. It’s not a child’s job to make you stable."

Eric Roberts smiles, wearing a light-colored shirt with sunglasses on his head, in front of a backdrop with partially visible text
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In terms of Emma's own acting career and subsequent maturity, Eric also praises his daughter for having "more tools at her disposal to build a safe place around herself than I ever did" — and he expresses pride on behalf of his daughter and his sister Julia, too.

An older man wearing glasses and a black tuxedo with a bow tie on a red carpet, smiling
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"I imagine I will remain as Julia’s brother and Emma Roberts’s dad for the rest of my life," he writes. "I'd like to make good on that, to move aside proudly and with grace. That’s part of the reason for writing this book."

Julia Roberts in a black dress and Emma Roberts in a white embellished gown, posing together on a red carpet event
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If you're interested in reading more, Runaway Train is on bookshelves right now.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, you can call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) and find more resources here.