Julia Roberts' brother Eric apologises publicly for past comments

Eric Roberts, actor and brother of Julia Roberts, has issued a public apology for previously claiming responsibility for his sister's illustrious acting career.

In his upcoming memoir, Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far, Eric writes, "I hope Julia will accept this public apology. It was an asinine thing to have said."

The actor had previously taken credit for Julia's success, stating in a 2018 Vanity Fair interview, "If it wasn’t for me, there would be no Julia Roberts and no Emma Roberts as celebrities, as actresses, and I’m very proud of that."

He added, "And I am so proud that everybody knows I was first, because I was first by a long shot. I was first to get Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations, so I’m proud of that."

Eric also claimed to have helped Julia get signed to WME. In his memoir, he reflects on his earlier statements, "I imagine I will remain as Julia’s brother and Emma Roberts’ dad for the rest of my life. I’d like to make good on that, to move aside proudly and with grace. That’s part of the reason for writing the book."

The Deadline actor, 68, began his acting career in New York City at 17, landing his breakout role in 1978's King of the Gypsies. He earned an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in 1985's Runaway Train.

Julia Roberts arrived in New York in 1985 and went on to achieve unparalleled success, earning Academy Award nominations for Steel Magnolias (1990) and Pretty Woman (1991), and winning Best Actress for Erin Brockovich (2001).