Eric Roberts apologizes to his sister Julia Roberts for “untrue” claims about her

We hope Pretty Woman is not a petty woman.

According to several media reports this week, Eric Roberts is publicly apologizing for a bold statement he previously made about his sister and fellow actress Julia Roberts.

Years ago, the “Runaway Train” star took credit not only for the successful Hollywood career of his sibling, but also for his daughter Emma Roberts.

“Without me, there would be no Julia Roberts or Emma Roberts as celebrities or actresses, and I’m very proud of that,” Eric Roberts said in a 2018 article in Vanity Fair. “When Julia first came to New York, I went to (the talent agency) William Morris and asked, ‘Which of you is going to sign my sister Julia?'”

He added: “And I’m so proud that everyone knows I was the first, because I was the first by a long shot. I was the first to be nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar.”

It seems the character actor has changed his mind and decided to apologize to his Oscar-winning sister, whom he calls “Julie,” in his new memoir, “Runaway Train: Or, the Story of My Life So Far.”

“One of the things I apologize for in this book is that I have said publicly more than once, ‘If it weren’t for me, there would be no Julia Roberts,'” wrote Eric Roberts. “That is not only unfortunate, but also untrue. And I hope Julie will accept that public apology. It was a foolish statement. I was proud of her, but it was pride turned on its head, for my own benefit.”

He also called her a “very determined woman” and said, “In a place like New York, someone would have picked her out of the crowd even without my help.”

The “Dancing With the Stars” candidate nevertheless claimed part of the earnings for his sister’s career and said that she only decided to go into show business when he was already a successful actor.

“If Julie had stayed in Atlanta, she probably would have married a rich guy and had a very different life,” wrote Eric Roberts, referring to her Georgia roots. “So I take credit for saying to my sisters when I … moved to New York City, ‘Come up, girls, the water is good.’ Then, it seems to me, she saw my life as a young actor in New York and saw what I was doing for a living, and she wanted to try it out.”

As for Emma Roberts, Eric Roberts recently raved about the “American Horror Story” actor in an interview with the podcast “Still Here Hollywood.”

“I am in love with my daughter’s current work,” Eric Roberts said earlier this year.

“I can’t believe how amazing she’s turned out. I’m so proud of her I can barely see straight. From her appearance in (the 2023 film) ‘Maybe I Do’ until now, she fills me with pride and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, here she goes again.’ And I’m just so happy to be her dad because she’s just awesome.”