Biography
Who is Eric Roberts?
Early life and family background
Eric Anthony Roberts was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, on April 18, 1956. His parents, Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts, were involved in the arts as actors and playwrights. They ran a children's acting school in Decatur, Georgia, and co-founded the Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop. His mother later worked as a church secretary and real estate agent, while his father worked as a vacuum cleaner salesman.
He grew up with two younger sisters, Julia Roberts and Lisa Roberts Gillan, who also pursued acting careers. His parents divorced in the early 1970s. After the separation, Eric stayed with his father in Atlanta until his father passed away from cancer in March 1977. His sisters moved with their mother to a suburb of Atlanta.
Acting debut and rise to fame
Eric Roberts made his television acting debut in 1974 on the soap opera How to Survive a Marriage. He later appeared on Another World as Ted Bancroft in 1977. His film career gained serious attention when he took on a leading role in King of the Gypsies in 1978, which earned him his first Golden Globe Award nomination.
He continued to secure major film roles throughout the 1980s. He received another Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Paul Snider in Bob Fosse's Star 80. In 1985, his performance as prison escapee Buck McGeehy in Runaway Train earned him a third Golden Globe nod and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He also made his Broadway debut in Burn This, winning the Theatre World Award in 1987.
Film and television career highlights
Throughout his long career, Eric Roberts has amassed hundreds of screen credits across film and television. Well-known movie appearances include Raggedy Man, The Pope of Greenwich Village, Best of the Best, Final Analysis, The Specialist, and The Dark Knight, where he played Mafia boss Sal Maroni. He also joined the cast of the action film The Expendables as an ex-CIA officer.
On television, he played the Master in the Doctor Who television film, making him the only non-British actor to take on that specific role. He earned a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work on the sitcom Less than Perfect. His extensive television resume also includes recurring roles on Heroes, The Young and the Restless, Suits, and The Righteous Gemstones.
Birthday and age
Eric Roberts was born on April 18, 1956, which makes Eric 70 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Eric shares the date with 34 other famous people.
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