Emma Roberts is a well-known actress who has starred in roles ranging from children’s television to ‘Scream Queens’, the comedy horror show.
There is no evidence to suggest that Emma Roberts is Italian, however, she is the daughter of the actor Eric Roberts, who is known to have European heritage which includes British, German, and Swedish.
Find out more about Emma Roberts and her family ancestry below.
Who is Emma Roberts?
Emma Roberts was born in 1991 in New York to parents Kelly and Eric, though the two separated shortly after. Both of her parents remarried, and she has a half-sister and two step-siblings.
She attended school at The Archer School for Girls and later enrolled in Sarah Lawrence College in New York.
Her acting career began while she was still a child. Aged just nine, she starred in the movie ‘Blow’ alongside stars including Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz.
In 2004, the show ‘Unfabulous’ launched on Nickelodeon. The show, which Roberts starred in as the lead character, revolved around Addie, a middle school student.
The show ran for three seasons, and in the same year as it came to an end, the young actress starred in the movie ‘Nancy Drew’. The movie generated $30 million in box office sales.
She played the lead role in the 2008 movie ‘Wild Child’, which tells the story of a rebellious teen whose father insists she attends a British boarding school in an attempt to control her behavior.
Later, she starred in ‘Scream Queens’ as Chanel Oberlin. The series merged comedy with horror and followed the story of fictional characters being followed by a killer.
Regarding her varied catalog of TV and movies, Roberts says she is accepting of a variety of opportunities. “I’m kind of open to doing any genre if it’s the right people involved, the right time in my life,” she explains.
Roberts appeared in the 2013 comedy ‘Adult World’, meeting Evan Peters on the set. The two dated for several years before ending their relationship in 2019.
“No matter who you are or what you do or wherever in the world you are, anything ending is hard,” she said in an interview after the split.
She has since embarked on a relationship with Garrett Hedlund, a fellow actor who appeared alongside Brad Pitt in the movie ‘Troy’.
Family & Ancestry
Roberts is related to an impressive array of famous actors. Her paternal grandparents, Walter Grady Roberts and Betty Lou Bredemus, were both professional actors.
Walter Grady Roberts has a complex family history, though the family has resided in America for several generations. Roberts’ father Eric, has European heritage, though he was born in Mississippi.
On Eric Roberts’ mother’s side of the family, his great grandmother was born in Sweden while his great grandfather had German descent.
Eric is also the sister of Julia Roberts, Emma Roberts’ aunt. Julie Roberts has starred in movies including ‘Notting Hill’, ‘Eat Pray Love’, ‘Pretty Woman’ and ‘Erin Brockovich’. For her portrayal of Brockovich, she won an Academy Award.
Emma Roberts says that her favorite of her aunt’s movies is ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ which she watches when she suffers from homesickness. Although there are multiple movie stars within the family, Emma suggests that when they’re reunited, they have a relatively normal family dynamic.
“Whenever I see her it’s all about her kids, my cousins and getting to hang out and do normal stuff and being family.”
As a child, Emma would visit her aunt’s movie sets and the two remain close. “My mom and I would stay with my Aunt Julia when I was really young, so I grew up on sets,” she recalls.
On Emma’s last birthday, Julia posted a sweet image of the two and said that she “loves and adores [Emma] with my whole heart.”