Eric Roberts apologizes to his sister Julia Roberts for making a “false” claim about her

Let’s hope Pretty Woman isn’t a mean woman.

Eric Roberts is publicly apologizing for a bold claim he previously made about his sister and fellow actress Julia Roberts, as noted by multiple media reports this week.

Years ago, the “Runaway Train” star credited the Hollywood career success of not only his brother, but also his daughter, Emma Roberts.

“If it weren’t for me, there would be no Julia Roberts and no Emma Roberts as celebrities, as 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 William Morris and said, ‘Which one of you is going to hire my sister Julia? ’”

He added: “I’m very proud that everyone knows that I was the first, because I was the first by far. I was the first to receive nominations for the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.”

It appears the character actor has since changed his mind, as he 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 would like to apologize for in this book is for having said publicly on more than one occasion, ‘If it weren’t for me, there would be no Julia Roberts,’” Eric Roberts wrote. “That is not only unfortunate, it is also untrue. And I hope Julie will accept this more public apology. It was a stupid thing to say. I was proud of her, but it was pride in reverse, for my own benefit.”

He also called her a “very motivated woman” and said “someone would have pulled her out of the crowd in a place like New York without my help.”

But the “Dancing With the Stars” contestant still took some credit for his sister’s career, suggesting she decided to go into show business after he had already become a successful actor.

“If Julie had stayed in Atlanta, she probably would have married a rich guy and lived a very different life,” Eric Roberts wrote, referencing his Georgia roots. “So I’ll take credit, once I moved to New York City, for saying to my sisters, ‘Come on, girls, the water’s fine. ’ That’s when, I think, she saw my life as a young actress in New York, saw what I was doing for a living, and wanted to give it a try.”

As for Emma Roberts, Eric Roberts recently gushed about the “American Horror Story” actress during an interview with the “Still Here Hollywood” podcast.

“I’m in love with my daughter’s work these days,” Eric Roberts said earlier this year.

“I can’t believe how great she’s become. I’m so proud of her that I can’t see straight. From her performance in (the 2023 film) ‘Maybe I Do’ until now, it just makes me so proud and I want to say, ‘Oh my God, here she goes again. ’ And I’m so happy to be her dad because she’s amazing.”