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Eric Roberts Criticizes Julia Roberts’ Steel Magnolias Performance: ‘Nobody’s Great in That Movie’
Sep
Eric Roberts may be proud of his sister Julia Roberts‘ career, but he isn’t afraid to criticize one of her most iconic films. In his new memoir Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far, the actor shares his unfiltered thoughts on Steel Magnolias, the 1989 dramedy that earned Julia her first Oscar nomination.
“Julia was good in Mystic Pizza, great in Pretty Woman, but not so much in Steel Magnolias,” Eric writes. “I don’t want to sound like an actor talking or a jealous sibling, but I don’t think her performance held up in that movie.” He admits to thinking at the time, “Okay. Good. She’s almost a good actor, and one day she’s gonna be one.”
Eric doesn’t stop at his sister’s performance, critiquing the entire star-studded ensemble cast of Steel Magnolias. “In fact, I think all those brilliant women — Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Olympia Dukakis, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah — overacted their asses off,” he writes. “Nobody’s great in that movie. They all chewed a lot of scenery, and we know that if an actor cries on film, they go to the top of the class. They get the Oscar nod because crying gets a lot of credit.”
Eric attributes some of Julia’s success in Steel Magnolias to her Southern roots, suggesting that her authenticity as a “sweet, small-town Southern girl” contributed to her Oscar nomination. “Her Southern accent and mannerisms were a big part of her appeal, along with her looks and smile,” he writes.
Despite his criticisms of Steel Magnolias, Eric praises Julia’s rise to superstardom with Pretty Woman, recalling how everyone, including actor George C. Scott, recognized her potential. “I watched it happen: Oh my god, Julia’s becoming a superstar!” he recalls.
Although Eric insists he wasn’t jealous of Julia’s success, he admits that her rapid rise thrust him into the spotlight in unexpected ways. “When suddenly this rare and rarefied thing occurred, this worldwide phenomenon of Julia’s stardom, it shoved me into the public eye in a different way,” he reflects. He even recounts unsettling rumors about their relationship that emerged during that time.
Eric believes that Julia may have harbored resentment toward him for not fully acknowledging her success early on. “I never paid enough homage to her. I still saw her as my baby sister,” he writes. He adds that they don’t share much in common as performers. “Julia is a movie star and I’m an actor. There’s a difference,” he states. “We’ll never be up for the same part.”
Eric Roberts‘ memoir Runaway Train: Or the Story of My Life So Far is available now, offering readers an in-depth look at his thoughts on Hollywood, family dynamics, and his own career.
