Emma Roberts Bio
Emma Rose Roberts (born February 10, 1991) is an American actress, singer, and producer whose career spans comedy, drama, and horror across both film and television. She first gained attention as a child performer and later built a wide-ranging résumé that includes lead roles in major studio films, starring turns in acclaimed anthology series, and behind-the-scenes work as a producer. Beyond acting, she co-founded the Belletrist book club and runs a production company focused on adapting books for the screen.
Roberts is a member of one of Hollywood’s most recognizable acting families, yet she has carved out a distinct path through genre-driven work and producer credits. Her filmography includes We’re the Millers, Nerve, and the Marvel Universe entry Madame Web, while her television work is anchored by long-running roles in American Horror Story and the cult favorite Scream Queens.
Early Life and Background
Emma Rose Roberts was born on February 10, 1991, in Rhinebeck, New York. Her parents are actor Eric Roberts and Kelly Cunningham, and her parents divorced when she was only seven months old. Through her father’s marriage, she is the stepdaughter of Eliza Roberts, and through her mother’s marriage, the stepdaughter of musician Kelly Nickels. She has a younger maternal half-sister named Grace, and her paternal aunts are actresses Julia Roberts and Lisa Roberts Gillan.
Growing up, Roberts spent considerable time on the sets of her aunt Julia Roberts’ films, and those visits sparked an early desire to follow her father and aunts into acting. Her grandmother, Betty Lou Bredemus, was an acting coach, which deepened the family’s connection to the craft. Her mother initially hoped to give her a normal childhood away from the pressures of Hollywood.
Roberts is of English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, German, and Swedish descent through her father’s side. She later attended Sarah Lawrence College in 2011, although she placed her studies on hold by January 2012 to focus on her growing career.
Path to Celebrity
Roberts made her acting debut at age nine in Ted Demme’s 2001 crime drama Blow, portraying the young Kristina Jung opposite Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz. That same year, she appeared in the short film bigLove and had an uncredited extra role in her aunt Julia Roberts’ romantic comedy America’s Sweethearts. The experience confirmed her interest in performing and set the stage for a steady run of child and teen roles.
Throughout her early teens, she balanced film work with television, taking supporting parts in family features such as Grand Champion and Spymate while guest starring on Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh. In 2004, she landed the lead role of Addie Singer on the Nickelodeon sitcom Unfabulous, a part that made her a household name among young audiences and ran for three seasons.
Alongside her television work, Roberts explored music, releasing her debut soundtrack album Unfabulous and More through Columbia Records and Nick Records in 2005. The record included singles such as “I Wanna Be” and “Dummy” and reached the Billboard charts. As she grew older, Roberts intentionally steered away from a dual actor-singer identity, choosing to focus on acting and pursue more mature roles.
Emma Roberts Career
Early Career (2001–2010)
Roberts spent her early career transitioning from child parts to leading lady roles in family-oriented films. She starred as one of three leads in the 2006 fantasy comedy Aquamarine, a performance that earned her a Young Artist Award for Best Supporting Young Actress in a Feature Film. She then played the title role in the 2007 mystery Nancy Drew, which opened to more than $7 million at the box office despite mixed reviews.
She continued to diversify her résumé with Wild Child, Lymelife, and Hotel for Dogs, often pairing heartfelt coming-of-age stories with broader comedic turns. By 2010, she had appeared in Valentine’s Day alongside her aunt Julia Roberts, as well as in 4.3.2.1., It’s Kind of a Funny Story, and the independent drama The Art of Getting By.
Breakthrough (2011–2019)
Roberts’ breakthrough arrived as she moved into more adult material. She played Jill Roberts in Wes Craven’s Scream 4 and earned strong notices for her lead role in Gia Coppola’s Palo Alto, adapted from James Franco’s short stories. Critics singled her out as the film’s standout, praising a performance that felt both breezy and quietly emotional.
Her biggest commercial hit of the era came with the 2013 comedy We’re the Millers, co-starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis, which grossed more than $269 million worldwide against a $37 million budget. That same year, she joined the cast of FX’s American Horror Story: Coven as Madison Montgomery, a role she would reprise across multiple later seasons.
In 2015, she led Fox’s comedy horror series Scream Queens as Chanel Oberlin, working again with producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. She expanded her thriller credentials with 2016’s Nerve, opposite Dave Franco, which earned $85 million worldwide. She rounded out the decade with Paradise Hills and a starring turn in American Horror Story: 1984.
Notable Works and Milestones
Across this period, Roberts established herself as a recognizable presence in both mainstream comedy and elevated horror, balancing studio hits like We’re the Millers with critically noted indies such as Palo Alto and The Blackcoat’s Daughter. Her long association with the American Horror Story franchise and her producer credits on Hulu’s Tell Me Lies cemented her influence on prestige horror and literary adaptations alike.
Emma Roberts Award Nominations
Roberts has earned a range of nominations across her career, including multiple Young Artist Award and Teen Choice Award nominations for her work on Unfabulous and for early film roles such as Aquamarine. Additional recognition has come for her genre performances in projects like Scream Queens and American Horror Story.
Emma Roberts Awards Won
Roberts’ verified wins include a Young Artist Award for Best Supporting Young Actress in a Feature Film for Aquamarine, an MTV Movie & TV Award, and a ShoWest Award. She has also been recognized for her broader industry contributions through brand and festival honors tied to her film and production work.
Emma Roberts Family
Roberts is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and Kelly Cunningham, and her paternal aunts are actresses Julia Roberts and Lisa Roberts Gillan. Her paternal grandmother, Betty Lou Bredemus, was an acting coach who helped shape the family’s connection to the craft. She also has a younger maternal half-sister, Grace, and step-relatives on both sides of her family.
Personal Life
Roberts began a relationship with actor Evan Peters in 2012 after meeting on the set of Adult World, and the couple were engaged in March 2014 before ending their relationship in March 2019. She then began dating actor and musician Garrett Hedlund, and the couple welcomed a son, Rhodes Robert Hedlund, on December 27, 2020, in Los Angeles. Roberts and Hedlund announced their split in January 2022.
She began dating actor Cody John in August 2022, and on July 16, 2024, she used Instagram to announce their engagement. Outside of her personal life, Roberts is an avid reader who co-founded the Belletrist book club in 2017 with Karah Preiss, a platform dedicated to promoting literature and spotlighting both emerging and established authors.