Eric Roberts is one of the most prolific actors of all time. With over 700 credits on the IMDb to his name, Roberts has had a long and varied career. While one could argue that he hit his career pinnacle in the eighties when he earned an Academy Award nomination for Runaway Train (and richly deserved one for Star 80) and appeared in the cult hit Best of the Best (and its sequel) he’s kept plugging away and is an icon in his own right.

Eric Roberts was born on April 18, 1956, in Biloxi, Mississippi, to Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts. His family soon moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he grew up in a creative household with his younger sister Julia Roberts. Their parents ran a children’s acting school, and Eric began performing at a young age, appearing in local productions and television shows.

However, his parents’ marriage ended...