Actor Eric Roberts is opening up about a deeply difficult chapter in his life that nearly ended his acting career before it could fully take shape. Roberts also appeared on “Dancing with the Stars,” competing in Season 33 in 2024 and was paired with pro dancer Britt Stewart.
Now, the 69-year-old actor, and brother of Julia Roberts, is opening up about a serious car accident in his 20s that left him in a coma and struggling with lasting effects, including memory loss and coordination issues.
Looking back during an appearance on the “It Happened In Hollywood” podcast, the former “Dancing With The Stars” star described the uncertainty that followed.
Struggling With ‘Deepest Depression’ After the Accident
Getty“It was a really odd, peculiar, hard time for me because the year before that I had an automobile accident and I was in a coma for a little bit.”
Roberts said the aftermath left him questioning his future in acting.
Getty“And, so I thought my days as an actor were probably over, if not very much numbered, and I was going through the deepest depression I’ve ever had in my life,” he shared (As quoted by People).
The setback felt overwhelming at the time as he balanced recovery with concerns about his career.
A Surprising Opportunity Changed Everything
At a time when his future felt uncertain, Roberts was given an unexpected opportunity that would help guide him forward.
His manager passed along a script connected to Bob Fosse, encouraging him to take a look, even though it was not originally intended for him.
Although the story did not initially resonate, Roberts chose to audition out of respect for the filmmaker.
“I didn’t like it because it seemed too black and white to me.”
He went on to explain that the story felt one-dimensional at first, with clear divisions that did not hold his interest despite its real-life basis.
“It seemed too bad guy, good girl, put upon, oppressive. It just seemed too black-and-white, and it wasn’t interesting. Even though it was a true story, it didn’t light me up.”
Still, his admiration for director Bob Fosse ultimately influenced his decision to move forward with the audition process.
“So I was not really interested in it as a script, but I was interested in it because of Bob Fosse.”
Following multiple auditions, he was cast in “Star 80” and spent months preparing for the role, eventually finding a deeper connection to the material.
Finding Perspective Through Work and Experience
As Roberts prepared for the role, his understanding of the story deepened.
“Everybody thinks it’s [an] unusual tale because of how it ended, but Paul Sniders are a dime a dozen.”
“They surround us. They’re all around us.”
He shared that such experiences are not as rare as they may seem, particularly in the world of entertainment.
“They are not unusual. That’s why the story is so valuable. These guys are not unusual…. They just don’t end up murder suicides. But that goes on all the time.”
Despite the challenges he once faced, Roberts went on to build a prolific career, appearing in hundreds of projects across film and television.
He later reflected on that journey with appreciation. In 2022, he told The Hollywood Reporter, “We get anywhere from eight to 30 offers every single day from all over the world. It’s just so much fun to have all these offers and get to play such an extreme range of characters.”
For Eric, his journey from uncertainty to resilience continues to influence both his work and his outlook on life. Despite the ups and downs, The Hollywood Reporter reported in 2023 that Roberts has accumulated close to 700 film and television credits, based on his regularly updated IMDb page, making him one of Hollywood’s most bankable and busy actors.
