Highlights

  • Emma Roberts followed in the footsteps of her famous aunt Julia Roberts and entered the family business of acting.
  • Despite their busy schedules, Julia and Emma have always had a special bond and spend ample time together.
  • Julia has been a supportive figure in Emma's career and was protective of her as fame brought more roles, but Emma stayed true to herself.

It's one thing to be a celebrity child, following in the footsteps of your parents. It's a whole other thing to be a celebrity niece, following in the footsteps of your famous aunt. That's exactly what actress Emma Roberts has done, she went into the family business with her aunt Julia Roberts.

We all know Roberts doesn't even need to try to look as stunning as she does, and her niece is the same way. There's no doubt that the two actresses are related. Emma is like a little mini-me to Julia and it's joked that they both "have too many teeth when we smile."

The Roberts girls have always been really close, despite having busy schedules themselves. But how close are they?

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Updated October 2023: Emma Roberts and Julia Roberts have always shared a special bond with one another. It was one that started during childhood when Julia's brother, Eric Roberts was having substance abuse problems and Julia took the side of Emma's mother, Kelly Cunningham.

Since that time, Julia and Emma have remained close with Emma spending time and doing extra work on Julia's films as a youngster. This is what gave Emma a love for acting and decided to make it a career of her own.

Just over a year ago, Julia posted a rare video to Instagram that showed herself and Emma blowing party horns and wearing party hats to celebrate Emma's birthday, showing that even as an adult, Emma spends ample time with Julia.

Further still, Julia has spoken out in the past about the fact that every time Emma comes to visit, she is the same girl she always has been. Hollywood has not affected her and the way that Emma has navigated her career is something that Julia is very proud of.

Emma Roberts Grew Up On Julia Roberts' Movie Sets

Saks New York Fashion Week Kick-off Party hosted by Emma Roberts, held at The Jazz Club at The Aman in New York
Via: Instar

Emma was born in 1991, a year after the premiere of one of her aunt's most successful films, with plenty of behind-the-scenes secrest, Pretty Woman. By the time Emma was walking and talking Julia was already one of the world's most popular actresses. Emma was fortunate to come along for the ride on some occasions.

Julia would take Emma to her movie sets, including the set of Erin Brockovich, which earned Julia her first Oscar. Being on set wound up inspiring Emma to become an actress herself, at the early age of nine.

"I'd run and hide in her makeup trailer and hear, 'Where's Emma? It's time for bed! She has to go home!'" Emma explained. "I remember it feeling like summer camp, just the feeling of creativity."

A year later, Emma landed her first part in Blow, alongside Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz, and a couple of years later she was cast in Nickelodeon's Unfabulous.

But as Emma started getting more and more roles as she got older, her aunt became very protective of her as she experienced stardom. Julia was worried every time she saw her niece that she'd be different, that fame had changed her.

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"When Emma comes to stay with us, I always think, 'Please let her be the same,' and she is still the same magical girl she used to be," Julia explained. "I think so much of it has to do with your intentions in taking on a business like this. If you have a pure view of what you want to accomplish, I think you can maintain your sense of self."

Emma retained her sense of self and was able to see her aunt often, and it was her aunt's friend Ryan Murphy who cast Emma in American Horror Story, the role that made her career.

Emma Robert's Dad Eric Roberts Loves Seeing His Sister And Daughter Together

Eric Roberts on the red carpet
via Instar

Emma comes from a whole showbiz family, including her father Eric Roberts, who has acted in films like The Dark Knight and appeared in music videos, including The Killer's Mr. Brightside.

Eric wasn't always there for Emma growing up but he still appreciates that Emma has a close relationship with her aunt (she even helped fund Emma's custody battle to help Emma's mother win). He even agrees that they look so much alike.

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"They look so much alike that I love the pictures of them when they’re side-by-side," Eric explained. "They’re both such Robertses. You know?"

Eric went on to say, "It’s really cool to look at them. I love seeing them together."

Emma has said that she's always been told she looks a lot like her aunt. "When I'm talking to someone it's like whatever, and then I smile and it's like, oh my god, you like just like your aunt," Emma said.

Even though Emma had her whole family to show her the ropes in Hollywood, she really didn't learn from them exactly. They just never had conversations about it.

"I can't say I've really learned from them directly but obviously I love their movies ... I wish I had a much more interesting answer to that, but we've never really talked about it."

At least she had some pretty great role models.

Julia Roberts And Emma Roberts Post About One Another On Social Media

Emma Roberts and Julia Roberts on the red carpet
via Instar/Instar

Even though Ellen DeGeneres had to teach Julia about the ways of Instagram, she seems to use it a lot, especially to post about her niece.

In February 2020, Julia was one of the first to wish her niece a happy 29th birthday on her Instagram, and her throwback photo and comment were precious.

She posted a photo of the pair wearing birthday hats and blowing party horns with the caption, "Happy Birthday to a Gal I love and adore with my whole heart! #yessheismyniece."

In 2019, Emma also wished her aunt a happy birthday on her Instagram and wrote, "Happy Birthday Aunt @juliaroberts you are the queen! I love you." There is also an adorable throwback picture on Emma's account of the pair when Emma was really little.

Apparently, the pair love to play games together as well because Julia has posted about it twice. A couple of years back Julia also posted a picture of her niece and her playing a game captioned with, "She won." Another time they were playing cards.

The yearly posts to social media have become a tradition for the two as since learning how to post, Julia has never missed wishing Emma a birthday via Instagram.

Sticking with being the first to post about a special day or moment on Emma's Instagram, Julia was also one of the very first to congratulate Emma via social media after the birth of her son was announced. And given just how much Julia loves Emma, there is no doubt that Julia loves her nephew Rhodes Hedlund, whom Emma shares with ex-Garrett Hedlund just as much.

Sources: usmagazine