Emma Roberts entered Hollywood with a surname that opens doors, yet her career has been shaped as much by sharp choices as by family connections. The daughter of actor Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts, she started working as a child and grew into a performer audiences associate with teen comedy, fashion and, above all, the horror anthology that became her creative home.
Born in Rhinebeck, New York, Roberts spent parts of her childhood on her aunt’s film sets, an experience she has said sparked her own ambition to act. Her first screen credit came in the 2001 film Blow, playing the young daughter of Johnny Depp’s character. From there she moved into the Nickelodeon series Unfabulous, which made her a familiar face to a generation of younger viewers, and into films including Aquamarine and Nancy Drew.
From Teen Star to Scream Queen
The transition from child stardom to adult roles is rarely smooth, and Roberts has spoken about the limits of being cast repeatedly as the girl next door. The turning point came through Ryan Murphy, who cast her in American Horror Story. Her appearances across several seasons of the anthology, along with Scream Queens and Scream 4, gave her a new identity on screen and a genre audience that has stayed with her.
She has also worked outside horror. In 2024 she appeared in Madame Web and starred in the romantic comedy Space Cadet for Prime Video. She has described Space Cadet as a feel good summer film in the spirit of fish out of water comedies, and she produced the project through her company as well as leading the cast.
Books, Belletrist and Producing
Reading is central to Roberts’s public identity. In 2017 she co-founded Belletrist, an online book club with her friend Karah Preiss, recommending a new title each month and building a community around contemporary fiction. The club grew into a broader brand and led to Belletrist TV, which secured a first look television deal with Hulu and focused on adapting books for the screen.
Her first executive producer credit came with Tell Me Lies, the series adaptation of Carola Lovering’s novel, which premiered in September 2022. Further projects were announced in the years that followed, including a series based on Candace Bushnell’s One Fifth Avenue and another developed with her American Horror Story: Delicate co-star Kim Kardashian. Roberts has said she is interested in adapting books for film and television as she develops a production career alongside acting.
Fashion, Advertising and Public Image
Roberts has long been a presence in fashion and advertising. In 2009 she became a brand ambassador for Neutrogena, appearing in print and television campaigns, and she has repeatedly featured on Teen Vogue’s best dressed lists. In 2021 she paid tribute to her aunt Julia Roberts in connection with a jewelry collection from the French firm Fred. Her red carpet choices and social media posts keep her in the celebrity style conversation between acting projects.
Family and Personal Life
Roberts’s family is one of the best known in American film. Her father, Eric Roberts, is an actor, and her aunt Julia Roberts is an Academy Award winner. Roberts has said she keeps certain Julia Roberts films on hand as comfort viewing, naming My Best Friend’s Wedding and America’s Sweethearts among her favorites.
In her personal life, Roberts was in a long relationship with actor Evan Peters, whom she met on the set of Adult World, and the couple were engaged before separating for good in 2019. She later dated actor and musician Garrett Hedlund, and their son, Rhodes Robert Hedlund, was born in December 2020. Tim McGraw is the child’s godfather. Roberts and Hedlund ended their relationship in early 2022.
She began dating actor Cody John in August 2022. In July 2024 she announced their engagement on Instagram with a lighthearted message about telling her mother first. The pair married on July 25, 2026, at John’s family estate in Sun Valley, Idaho, according to reports. Roberts has generally kept her romantic life private, sharing milestones on her own terms.
Net Worth and Earnings
Published figures for Roberts’s wealth are estimates rather than verified financial disclosures. Reporting has linked her income to acting, advertising campaigns, fashion work and production projects, but no public filing confirms a personal net worth.
| Source | Published estimate | Date | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARAS Brasil, citing Correio Braziliense | Around US$25 million | 2024 | Unverified estimate, not a financial disclosure |
| Hindustan Times, citing Celebrity Net Worth | US$25 million | 2025 | Unverified estimate, not a financial disclosure |
These figures are best treated as press estimates, not confirmed facts. Roberts has spoken in interviews about the importance of financial independence, but she has not published verified details of her earnings or assets.
Charity and Advocacy
Roberts has supported organizations focused on children’s welfare, women’s rights and health. She has worked with the Children’s Cancer Research Fund and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, hosting and attending fundraising events. In 2023 she took part in a St. Jude Giving Tuesday event and collaborated with Free People Movement on a Thanksgiving campaign whose net proceeds went to Girls Inc. She also appeared in a Human Rights Campaign tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting in 2016.
What’s Next
Roberts continues to balance acting with producing and her book work. She was cast in the comedy Old Pals with Henry Winkler, Evan Rachel Wood and Brian Cox, and in the psychological thriller The Technique. In August 2025 she signed on to star in A Murder Uncorked, a romantic comedy murder mystery. Her career now spans several lanes, and she has used her production company to shape the kinds of stories she wants to tell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Emma Roberts’s famous relatives?
She is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and the niece of actress Julia Roberts. She is also a distant relative of actor Edward Norton.
What is Emma Roberts best known for?
She is widely associated with American Horror Story and Scream Queens, and she first became known to younger audiences through the Nickelodeon series Unfabulous.
Did Emma Roberts start a book club?
Yes. She co-founded Belletrist with Karah Preiss in 2017. The club recommends books monthly and has expanded into television production through Belletrist TV.
Is Emma Roberts married?
She married actor Cody John on July 25, 2026, at his family estate in Sun Valley, Idaho, according to reports. The couple became engaged in July 2024.
Does Emma Roberts have children?
She has a son, Rhodes Robert Hedlund, born in December 2020, with her former partner Garrett Hedlund.
What is Emma Roberts’s net worth?
Press estimates have placed it around US$25 million, but these figures are unverified and should not be read as confirmed financial information.
Featured image: Original: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America / Derivative work: Danyele / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).
