Long before Julia Roberts became one of Hollywood’s most recognisable stars, she was raised in a family deeply connected to theatre, acting and writing.
Her parents, Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts, worked as actors, playwrights and theatre teachers. Their influence helped establish an artistic environment that would eventually produce three professional actors: Julia, her older brother Eric Roberts and her sister Lisa Roberts Gillan.
The family story, however, extends far beyond Hollywood. It includes a remarkable connection to Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, years of estrangement between siblings and the tragic death of Julia’s half-sister, Nancy Motes.
Her parents built a theatre community in Atlanta
Betty Lou and Walter met while participating in theatrical productions for the United States Armed Forces.
After marrying, they continued their work in theatre and co-founded the Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop, where they taught aspiring performers and writers.
They also operated a children’s acting school in Decatur, Georgia. The programme became notable because it was an integrated theatre group at a time when racial segregation remained a major issue in the American South.
The couple eventually separated, with their divorce finalised in the early 1970s. Walter remained in Atlanta, while Betty Lou raised Julia and Lisa.
The Roberts family had a remarkable connection to the King family
One of the most extraordinary chapters in Julia Roberts’ family history involves the family of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
The Kings’ children attended the Roberts family’s theatre school after Coretta Scott King reportedly contacted Betty Lou because she was having difficulty finding a suitable integrated programme for them.
The families became friends, and that relationship later played an unexpected role in Julia Roberts’ childhood.
According to Roberts, the King family helped her parents financially when she was born, paying the hospital bill.
Roberts has publicly recalled the story, saying that the King family had helped her family during a difficult period. The story has also been acknowledged by members of the King family.
Walter Roberts was Julia’s biological father
Julia Roberts was born on 28 October 1967 in Smyrna, Georgia, to Betty Lou and Walter Grady Roberts.
Her father continued working in theatre after the divorce and remained in Atlanta. He died of cancer in March 1977, when Julia was still a child.
Betty Lou later married Michael Motes in 1972. The couple had a daughter, Nancy Motes, in 1976, making Nancy Julia and Lisa’s maternal half-sister.
Three Roberts siblings pursued acting
Acting became a defining part of the Roberts family.
Eric Roberts, born in 1956, established himself as a prolific actor and earned an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Runaway Train.
He went on to build an exceptionally extensive film and television career, while his daughter, Emma Roberts, also entered the entertainment industry.
Julia followed a different trajectory, eventually becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for Erin Brockovich.
Lisa Roberts Gillan also pursued acting and later became involved in film production.
Julia and Lisa developed a close professional relationship
Julia and Lisa Roberts Gillan maintained a close relationship as their careers developed.
Julia moved to New York after finishing high school, where Lisa and Eric were already pursuing acting opportunities.
The sisters later worked together professionally through Red Om Films, the production company associated with Julia, Lisa and producer Marisa Yeres Gill.
Julia has also spoken publicly about Lisa’s kindness and the influence their relationship has had on her.
Julia and Eric endured years of estrangement
Julia’s relationship with Eric became considerably more complicated.
The siblings were separated in important ways after their parents divorced. Eric, who was 15 at the time, remained with their father, while Julia and Lisa lived with their mother.
As Eric’s acting career developed, he also struggled with substance abuse. The difficulties contributed to a prolonged period in which he and Julia were not close.
Eric later acknowledged that he had been difficult to be around during that period and discussed the years when the siblings did not speak.
The siblings eventually reconciled
The relationship began to heal in 2004, following the birth of Julia’s twins with her husband, Danny Moder.
Eric visited Julia and described the encounter as a significant moment of reconciliation between them.
The siblings subsequently rebuilt their relationship, with Eric later saying that they had spent holidays together and remained in contact.
In his 2024 memoir, Eric also publicly apologised to Julia and reflected on mistakes he had made during their estrangement.
Nancy Motes died in 2014
The family’s history was marked by another devastating event when Nancy Motes died in February 2014, aged 37.
Motes was found dead at a Los Angeles home where she had been pet-sitting. The Los Angeles County coroner’s investigation determined that her death was a suicide involving multiple drugs and drowning.
Motes had worked as a production assistant on Glee and was engaged to John Dilbeck, a film and television locations manager.
Her death generated intense media attention, particularly after statements attributed to Motes raised allegations about her relationship with Julia. Roberts did not publicly address those specific allegations.
Julia spoke about the loss after her sister’s death
In the weeks following Nancy’s death, Julia spoke publicly about the emotional impact on her family.
She described the period as one of profound heartbreak, saying that it was still too soon to find words to explain what the family had experienced.
The tragedy added another difficult chapter to a family history already marked by separation, reconciliation and loss.
Julia built her own Hollywood legacy
Despite the complexities within her family, Julia Roberts established an extraordinary career of her own.
Her breakthrough performances eventually led to major roles in films including Pretty Woman, Notting Hill, Erin Brockovich and Ocean’s Eleven.
Her Oscar-winning performance in Erin Brockovich cemented her status as one of the industry’s leading actresses. She also became one of the highest-paid actresses of her generation and expanded her career through film production.
Together with Lisa Roberts Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill, she has been involved in producing projects through Red Om Films.
The Roberts family legacy stretches beyond Hollywood
The Roberts family’s story is ultimately more complicated than a simple Hollywood success story.
Betty Lou and Walter created a theatrical environment that influenced their children, while their friendship with the King family connected the Roberts household to an important chapter in American civil rights history.
Eric, Julia and Lisa each established careers in entertainment, while later generations continued that connection through Emma Roberts.
At the same time, the family experienced divorce, estrangement, addiction, reconciliation and profound loss.
Julia Roberts’ rise to international fame may be the most visible part of that legacy, but the history of the family that shaped her is a story of its own.
