Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight, The Righteous Gemstones)

Eric Roberts is an Academy Award nominated actor who’s appeared in over 600 films and TV shows. Some of the most notable include Babylon, The Righteous Gemstones, The Dark Knight, The Expendables and many more. We discuss some of the roles he’s had including his cameo in The Cable Guy, potentially working with Quentin Tarantino, having a family in entertainment, and so much more. Lots of good stories and wisdom in this one! Check it out! 

00:00 - Intro
00:43 - Social Media 
01:35 - Work Schedule & Helping Others 
06:08 - Working on "Babylon" & The Oscars
08:40 - Upcoming Film "Sweetwater" 
09:50  - Cameo in "The Cable Guy" 
11:52 - John Waters & Director Styles 
14:04 - Civilization of Maxwell Bright 
15:10 - Music Videos 
16:07 - Hunt to Kill & Stone Cold Steve Austin 
17:05 - Inherent Vice & P.T. Anderson 
19:17 - Sitcom Work 
20:32 - Entourage 
22:05 - The Righteous Gemstones 
23:35 - Turning Down Roles & Favorite Genre
24:55 - Reality TV 
25:58 - Doing Talk Shows & Interviews 
29:03 - Quentin Tarantino 
31:25 - Working with Difficult Personalities 
33:40 - Recognizing Signs of Addiction 
37:15 - Entertainment Family & Stuttering 
42:45 - Reactions from Audience & Crew 
48:01 - Keaton Simons 
49:00 - Writing a Book 
49:50 - Natural Child Project 
51:13 - Outro 

Eric Roberts IMDB:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000616/

Natural Child Project:
https://www.naturalchild.org/

Chuck Shute website:
https://chuckshute.com/

Transcript

Chuck Shute: 0:00

Eric Roberts is an Academy Award nominated actor who's appeared in over 600 films and TV shows. And some of the most notable include recent Oscar nominee, Babylon, the righteous gemstones, The Dark Knight, The Expendables, and so many more. And we're going to talk about some of the roles he's had the people he's worked with advice and wisdom that he has been in an entertainment family and so much more. His wife Eliza, who's also in the business will pop in for some things too. Great stuff coming right up yo, I want to start off Actually, I wanted to give you a compliment. You're gonna love this and this is not about your hack, you know, obviously, you're great actor but your social media, your Instagram, I, I found it very inspiring in the sense that it was so genuine, because you're not about pumping yourself up. You're all about, hey, check out my sister in law's bracelets. Check out my stepsons music, check out my wife's acting. Everything is about you know, trying to share other people's things. I thought that was really cool.

Eric Roberts: 1:10

Well, don't don't don't get me wrong. I am one of my three biggest fans. But I got I have all these relatives that are really good people. And I want everyone to know it. And that's kind of that's all there is to it. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 1:24

Yeah. No, I just thought that was really neat. Because, you know, you could tell that it's really you running it. It's just very genuine. So I thought that was that was really cool. So nice.

Eric Roberts: 1:33

Thank you. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 1:34

So I'm looking at, you know, obviously, you know, a lot of the interviews you've done, people brought this up, but you've done so many films and TV shows. And I was just trying to figure out the math with some of this stuff. Because so you said I think I heard you say that it only takes sometimes that you're only there for a day, if it's a supporting role. Is that right?

Eric Roberts: 1:50

That's true. Since sent digital, I do I do? Like 20 pages in a day.

Chuck Shute: 2:01

Okay, so like with a leading role, how long does that take? How much prep work do you have to do then the actual shooting? And then as a reshoots or press for the film's? Or how's that work?

Eric Roberts: 2:10

It's always different. It all depends on the budget all depends on the timeframe all depends on. Everything all depends on the distribution house, it depends on everything, it's always different. And sometimes you hang on to the skin, your teeth, and sometimes you have everything you could even think about. So it all depends on the situation. And it's always different.

Chuck Shute: 2:32

So in a typical week, how many hours are you working like doing films and prep work and all that stuff.

Eric Roberts: 2:39

On a light week, I'm working 50 hours on a heavy week. I'm working a lot hours.

Chuck Shute: 2:47

And you love that though, that's your choice. That's what you'd like to do.

Eric Roberts: 2:51

I have the best job on the planet, I've seen the planet, I had the best job there is, I know that they pay me to come and do it. I have fun. I've seen the world a couple of times for free. And I and I got a wife was watching my back, I have a great life.

Unknown: 3:08

And I'm gonna pop in, come on in subjects really fun and really inspiring. So everything that you asked kind of ties into each other. For instance, part of the reason that Eric is so you're this is the era of influencers, you know, some acknowledge being paid some things you're not paid for, it's an exchange or whatever. But you know, you it Dolce and Gabbana might pay you a lot of money to carry their purse, or is it persons that they make whatever they make anyway. But I think that we do have a natural inclination to want to spread the word about things that we really are genuinely excited about. So the fact that no one is really coming to us to to have us be influencers, it gives us the freedom to just, you know, shout it out to the world and hope that a few people pick up on it. You never know how many of your listeners or your watchers are actually active. But it's the same thing with the working also because we are still kind of connected to the time when we just all we wanted was a job as an actor. I mean, for Eric that it all started really young. But he is still somewhere in there. The same guy who was so excited to get the news, you got the part about King of the gypsies, let's say. And so now when jobs come even if it's more than one job in a day, if it's like can you do this, it'll only take three hours in the morning, oh, we have something else that's going to take three hours in the afternoon. But the truth is, that's the only day they can shoot. Yes, because you're still so amazed and grateful that there's incoming work and that people want you to do what you do. And you want them to want the people you believe in to do what they do. So it's kind of staying at the beginning. And I think that's what makes In a beautiful romance with our careers, does that make sense?

Chuck Shute: 5:03

Yeah, no. And it wasn't your idea, like you kind of put this idea in his head that the power of giving, because let's be honest with a lot of these roles, like Eric is doing them a favor more than they're doing him a favor, like he's lending his name and likeness to this low budget film that's going to help the film because his name is on it. Right? Yeah.

Unknown: 5:21

And there's something about that. I mean, we always say, when in doubt, give like, I'm somebody who have never had, I've never even tried alcohol, or cigarettes, or drugs or anything terrified of all that stuff. And, you know, we have so many friends who have used all kinds of very self destructive and destructive solutions to just the stresses of life. For us. We found one that's really it's, there's no chemicals involved, just do something for somebody, and it makes you feel better. Yeah, you know, then you can deal with your problems afterwards. But it's a hi

Eric Roberts: 5:54

that, that that is a lesson that she instilled in me that does work. When I give a you will feel better.

Unknown: 6:02

I'm gonna step out again, because I'm right here if you need me.

Chuck Shute: 6:05

No, I love that stuff. But so then, but also, you know, you're also getting these big roles to talk about, you're just in the movie Babylon, which was nominated for an Oscar and how did they did they send you that part? Do you have to audition? Or they just say, Hey, we've got this part written for you specifically,

Eric Roberts: 6:21

that lovely man, Damon, Giselle said, want to play this part, my movie? And I said, Of course I do. And that was kind of the long and short of it. Yeah, have

Chuck Shute: 6:31

you did you get to watch that film because the beat especially the beginning of that is so crazy, like Hollywood. Back in the 1920s. I was

Eric Roberts: 6:40

I was disappointed because of the 44 years I've been making movies. I have never had anything end up on the on the editing room floor. And my whole storyline with an incredible actor ended up on the editing room floor. And she was just so incredible on Margo was so perfect. And we had great scenes and together and great storylines, great story things. And we didn't see any of them. And I felt bad. Because I wanted to see them and I liked my work. I loved our work. And I loved I work at the same scenes together. And I was and so I was disappointed from a very selfish end of things. It was a fun movie to watch. I enjoyed watching but it's fun to watch like Fellini's fun to watch you. You either have a taste for it or you don't.

Chuck Shute: 7:34

So maybe it'll be on would it be on the blu ray or the DVD or whatever the deleted scenes

Eric Roberts: 7:38

or something like that. You're asking me?

Chuck Shute: 7:40

Yeah, I mean, I'm assuming that it would be I hope I didn't even watch it.

Eric Roberts: 7:45

My wife says you have probably Yeah, okay,

Chuck Shute: 7:47

cool off to check that out. So then since that's nominated for an Oscar, do you get an invite to the Oscars or how does that work? Because you've been nominated before you get a lifetime ticket after you've been nominated once or how's that work?

Eric Roberts: 7:59

You you actually do after money and are a winner you can always go but no, I would only go to the Oscars because it's such a night and such an extravaganza and such a look at me I would only go if I were nominated. And because otherwise there's just too much Come on. And

Chuck Shute: 8:24

you don't like the networking and be able to see it all the you must know a lot of those people they're all the connections you made.

Eric Roberts: 8:30

And and I've been in this industry a long time you know, they'll they will know my name. Yeah, yeah.

Chuck Shute: 8:36

What about cuz you have so many movies upcoming. I think one of them though, that I saw that's coming out is called Sweetwater with it's got like an all star cast Kevin Polak and Jeremy pivot and Richard Dreyfus talk about that one.

Eric Roberts: 8:48

Basketball player. Yeah, no, yeah. Yeah. It's, it's, it's it's a piece of Americana. It's about, about about, about us coming together as a society, and it's just a great piece. And of course, it's got a lot of those actors, you know, how to make you cry. And it's a good one. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 9:09

Yeah. Did you did you get to hang out with Kevin Pollak at all like he does a lot of impersonations. Did you hear any of these impersonations?

Eric Roberts: 9:16

We we know each other we've Eliza, how many times did Kevin Pollack and I work together?

Unknown: 9:22

I don't know. But he was a blast on the SAT and it was really as funny

Eric Roberts: 9:25

as can be. And he's always join somebody. And he's bright. He's funny. He's talented. He's a good buddy.

Chuck Shute: 9:32

Does he do an impersonation of you ever?

Eric Roberts: 9:34

Not to me, but I've played as Yeah, Andrew Dice Clay does. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 9:40

yeah, I've heard that. That's great. That's a good one. Love

Eric Roberts: 9:43

that is so flattering, man.

Chuck Shute: 9:45

Yeah, I've heard you talk about a lot. I mean, a lot of the films that you've done, although we can't go through all of them, but one of my favorites. This is like, to me it's like your best role and it's only like 15 seconds but your cameo in the cable guy on the He said he told me about that was, was it your idea to play the characters like that or Ben Stiller direct you to do it that way.

Eric Roberts: 10:07

Eliza comm tell them tell us okay, here's

Unknown: 10:10

what happened. So Ben Stiller's whole family is family friends with my family and mural was my mom's writing and producing partner starred in a lot of things that my mom wrote. And we went to one of the events that we kind of hate the were mentioning that sound fun to other people, okay. And Ben was there. And you know, I've known him since he was a little kid, and, and since he did House of Blue Leaves, and he was putting together a cable guy. And Eric always says, kind of jokingly, but he's also serious. Hey, what port do you have for me? And Ben said, Actually, I was gonna have Matthew Perry play himself, but forget it. I'll just have you do it. But you'll have to play two of you. And Eric was like, why don't want to take anything away from Matthew Perry? And he's like, no, no, it's fine. I will. Great conversation. Suddenly, Eric was doing cable guy.

Chuck Shute: 11:04

Yeah. Wow. That's funny, because that was at the height of his success with friends or whatever. Like he was a big star. But I don't

Eric Roberts: 11:12

think a big SCI from the biggest stars of the 20th century, even though in the 21st. He's a huge,

Unknown: 11:18

I mean, who knows? Who knows that they never really even talked about it. Who knows if maybe they asked Perry and he said, No, thank you, or he was doing something else. And they came to air, but they didn't want to say that. Right? Whatever. It was just one of those things. It's so fun.

Chuck Shute: 11:32

Right? But so you came up with the character ideas or Ben Stiller's. Okay, you're gonna do this and do that and then you just did it.

Eric Roberts: 11:37

It's all Ben and Ben's my leader and I follow Ben.

Chuck Shute: 11:42

Yeah, he's like a comedic genius. I feel like that film is so underrated. I feel like Ben Stiller is a great comedic director and actor. Yeah. 100%. All right, dude, we agree. Yeah. What about you worked with John Waters? Well, he is so funny, too. I've seen him in interviews. I love his movies. Maybe not a lot of people know about him. But I think he's a genius to you didn't seem to be demented.

Eric Roberts: 12:03

He is what you think he is he is that what he presents is what he is. And that's how he comes to. That's how he deals with you. That's how you direction that's how we that's how he

Unknown: 12:14

is He sends us a holiday card every year. Holiday cards are as brilliant as his movies, when very warm. He was a really good guy. And so creative. That was exciting. Yeah, that's

Chuck Shute: 12:25

fun. Do you like working with people that kind of direct you and show you what to do more? Or do you like it better when you can kind of play the role? How you want to do it?

Eric Roberts: 12:34

I look at myself as directors dream. I like the show up and they say what do you want to see? And then say I want to see ABC Q aren t and go okay, and go do ABC Q r&d form and say when they good? That's what I like doing. Sometimes, though, you get directors, you say what do you want to see? And they don't know yet. Or they say just surprise me or whatever it is. And you will hopefully have done enough homework isn't a big deal. You just use Go about your business and just do it. Because you you're on your own. And that happens half the time. And but half the time they'd love to tell you what to do. And that's where I like acting best. I like Yeah, yeah, I have a joke. She's out of the room right now. But I love to be told what to do as my wife. Yeah, but But yeah, I like I like director who tells me what to do. I don't want to see this. This, this and this. Don't go here. Go here. We'll have the phone. We don't go here. Okay, blah, blah, blah. Okay, got it. Thanks. It's like it's like a game plan. Or like in a huddle at a football game. He like tells me that the game plan. I'll go, ready. Shoot, and I just, I just love it.

Chuck Shute: 13:54

That's fun. So I think one of the movies that I heard you talking about the role that you were really proud of was a civilization of Maxwell bright with Patrick Warburton. Talk about that role? What How did you prepare for that one?

Eric Roberts: 14:08

It's one of the half a dozen hardest parts I've ever played. And, and I only played it because I thought, can I do this? And I said, my wife can I do this? And my wife said, I don't know. This is a hard one. And I said, you don't know either. Wow, that that's that's really threatening. Anyway, that's kind of why I did it. And Patrick Warburton is resilient. Oh my God, He gives performance of a lifetime. And I play a friend of Israel works for him. Who is the opposite of him the polar opposite. And but I work for him in a TV sales and repair shop. And you know, it's it's it's a piece I'm just very proud of and I'm very proud of it. My pal Patrick.

Chuck Shute: 15:02

Yeah, we'll have to check that one out. There's so many that you've done obviously, everyone's seen you in the dark night and talk about that role because that's brought you attention to younger viewers now now people will read little kids will recognize you say, hey, that's okay from that man.

Eric Roberts: 15:15

You know, you know, it's probably the most attention from from kids. Are the music videos, right? Sure. Yeah. A con all those have have brought have brought brought the kids in and 711 going on. There he is. And that's what I get from from that from those kids. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 15:35

yeah, those are the killers. I think that's one of my favorite songs just of all time that that's a cool video to you. And that one Mariah Carey and yeah, all these big music that are you still doing the music videos too.

Eric Roberts: 15:45

If they call the nasty you know, the the killers has a first and Mariah. Eliza did I do two or three Maria's? I don't know. I think I did two. I did at least two. I think I did three. And she was very cool. Yeah, yeah. Okay.

Chuck Shute: 16:05

What about another movie did Hunter kill I don't remember this one it was with but it was with Stone Cold Steve Austin now I'm not a big wrestling fan. My brother's a huge wrestler fan. But that guy was like a big wrestler. You know, I don't know if people remember he was bigger than the rock and then the rock you know really took off for the movie career and stone cold didn't do you think it was did stone cold? Was he just really not into acting and movies? Or what was the story there?

Eric Roberts: 16:29

You'd have to ask him. I love the guy. We're buddies. We hang we talk. We We exchanged secrets. We like each other. He's just a cool guy. He's really normal. He's not at all what is images? Oh,

Chuck Shute: 16:44

he does not trick and beat two beers.

Eric Roberts: 16:47

Is that at all? Insane. And he's just sweet as the day is long. And he's a cool cat. I'm loving. Oh, that's cool. Cool, too. He's gotten really cool. Ya know?

Chuck Shute: 17:00

That's good to hear. Y'all have to pass along my brother. Another film want to ask you about that you did Inherent Vice, just because it was directed by PT Anderson had an all star cast? What was it like working with PT Anderson? How is he different from other directors because he, I'm assuming he's got to have a totally different style than the average director.

Eric Roberts: 17:20

Well, he's very specific. And I've never gone through a day on a set like that, where I sat in the same place. My last day of shooting, I sat in the same place all day. And I sat there from, you know, mid morning to, to after tea time in the afternoon. So we'll start from 11 to like five in the same place. And we talk a little bit, he goes away, we shoot. We talked a little bit, he goes away, we'd shoot. And they're big. There were hours that would pass and I wouldn't see him or the cameraman, but I would just stay there. And it was one of the weirdest experiences of my life. And but I think what he was setting out for me if I wanted to utilize it, was the loneliness and loneliness of the end of this man's life. And so he's a cool cat, man. And is he the most

Chuck Shute: 18:21

detailed director I heard? Who's the star of Schindler's List was talking about working with Steven Spielberg, and how Spielberg was saying, Okay, you're gonna take a drag on a cigarette? Like, I mean, he was directing like, exactly how he's going to smoke the cigarette. Is that how PT Anderson was? Or is there any directors you've had that are that detailed?

Eric Roberts: 18:41

You T Anderson is one of those guys. But he doesn't do it in a way that it's like an order. He like does it in a way like it's like a thought he's giving you as he's a genius.

Chuck Shute: 18:52

Yeah, no, he definitely is. That's amazing.

Eric Roberts: 18:56

Yeah, and, yeah. And I feel I didn't live up to what I should have lived up to to play that part. But I don't think anybody could have it was such an overwhelming presence, right? Yeah. So yeah.

Chuck Shute: 19:17

So what about with like working on you've done a lot of TV work to with like sitcoms? Is that kind of more just fun, because that's all about I feel like comedic timing. And you've done a lot of this. You had that less than perfect. And you've done a lot of guest spots as well. Do you like the sitcom world?

Eric Roberts: 19:31

I learned to like it. I was so scared of it at first that I was very bad at it. And that's not being humble. That's just a fact. I was bad. And I'm not used to being bad. So it was very humbling. And it wasn't fun. But then I got comfortable with it and I got okay. But I it was not my genre. And it's my wife's genre. And she loves it and would love me to do it but I'm Just not great at it. And, but, but, but I've had some fun, you know, like, like, like, what's King of Queens?

Chuck Shute: 20:12

Queens Drew Carey Fraser. I mean, he's got a bunch of them.

Eric Roberts: 20:15

Kings and Queens. It's a fun show. Man. That was a fun character. That's when I started really having fun doing comedy. Was was King plains.

Chuck Shute: 20:24

I love that. That's one of my favorites like that. And Seinfeld to my favorite sitcoms.

Eric Roberts: 20:28

Yeah, yeah, we all we all we all agree.

Chuck Shute: 20:31

What about you did entourage? I don't know if you remember that one. That's the show like with, you know, the guy has like literally an entourage of people. Is that realistic? In Hollywood? Is there a lot of stars like that, that have kind of a gang of followers that you know, people that drive around your management and stuff.

Eric Roberts: 20:48

You are so funny about that? I used to watch that show. I was a fan. And about the half a dozen time they said my name on the show. I call my lawyer because he handles the writers on that show. And I said to my lawyer, Jeff, I said, Jack, if you're going to talk about me so much having to have me on the damn show. I'd love that show. He says, I'll call you back in five minutes. And he does they want you on the show. But they told me to ask you will you sell shrooms? I said yes, of course.

Chuck Shute: 21:28

Yeah. I try to remember that. You played a drug dealer on that episode.

Eric Roberts: 21:32

A be kind. Okay, I sold shrooms. Yeah. Hey, my

Chuck Shute: 21:35

dad swears by shrooms. I'm not even joking. He is a conservative guy. He had a head injury. He did research. He goes, Hey, I found out that if you take mushrooms, it can actually heal your brain. And he said a bunch of NHL players did it or something. So

Eric Roberts: 21:50

it's really good for brain trauma. Yeah. And then back then an opinion. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 21:55

Yeah. Micro dosing, I guess. What's that? Micro dosing? They call it? I guess? I don't know. Yeah. Fascinating stuff. And then another show, obviously, that you're doing the righteous gemstones. Talk about that one, because you said the creators of that show are geniuses like

Eric Roberts: 22:12

I could talk about that all day. That is my favorite job I've ever had playing him. Excuse me. Yeah, that is my favorite job I've ever had across the boards. It was it was the character it was how he got it. It was what he was. Where we shot it. The scripts the cast. Danny, all of it. It was perfect. It was my favorite job I ever had. And the way God it was, it was it was an open call. It was for for casting. And and my wife and wife said, Oh, they're great show has an open call for blah, blah, blah and showed me the character. I said, you know, I've always wanted to play that guy. I have that guy. I know that guy. I'm related to that guy. I want to go I want to own audition. So he put it on tape. We sent it in. And and then he gave me the part. Simple as that. It was cool.

Chuck Shute: 23:05

Wow, that's really good. Now, I'm I haven't caught up to it in season two. I haven't finished it. So I don't know. Are you can you come back in season three or do

Eric Roberts: 23:14

not? I do not know. Okay. All right.

Chuck Shute: 23:16

That's still really cool that you were part of that show. I'm really enjoying. I just didn't dude. Yeah, maybe they'll do another one too, because they did a Dana McBride did vice principals and Eastbound and Down. I both I love both of those shows too. So

Eric Roberts: 23:29

everybody did. Yeah. What about that again?

Chuck Shute: 23:34

Yeah. What other roles that that you were up for that you didn't get? I heard the story of Officer and a Gentleman. You turned down cliffhanger. And then I heard the story of like, you, you were given the script for Star Wars and you turn that one. Those are three big ones. Is there other ones though?

Eric Roberts: 23:51

Or this show we're seeing except, except I. I think I think I didn't like that script. I don't remember that. But but whatever it was, you know, they they they certainly didn't need me.

Unknown: 24:06

They did okay. Yeah, they did. Okay.

Eric Roberts: 24:09

And, and I, I never liked science fiction. And, and in my old age, I got wrapped up in the Doctor Who series which fiction, but I was I was I was never a science fiction fan.

Chuck Shute: 24:25

Yeah, what is your favorite genre to do? Because you've done it all.

Eric Roberts: 24:29

dramas. I like crime dramas. I like mysteries. I like Yeah, I like who've done it. I don't make enough of them. I love them. I love to be part of them. And yeah, and I also like biographies. I like playing people that have lived. Like, like, like, I want to play newer yet. And I want to play people who

Chuck Shute: 24:52

now that makes sense. What about you've done some reality TV did Hollywood Squares and the Bear Grylls show and all that do you like doing the reality was that more of a chore

Eric Roberts: 25:01

you do the game show kind of circuit like Hollywood square kind of stuff, or when you're on a series, because they want you to be seen that by housewives. So you you do those shows. And when I was on less than perfect, I did all the game shows and all the stuff like that. Hollywood Squares. It's kind of contractual. And, and it's, and you, you learn to have fun with it, and you make fun of yourself for for a couple of episodes, you know, you learn to have fun with it. Because in the scheme of things, you know, you remember, as a kid, you're watching those things, your grandparents house, and you're thinking, wow, even as a kid thinking something's off about this shows. It wasn't quite what it was supposed to be, you know? And so, as you're gonna who is odd to be on them, but it was it was it was a cycle of life. That was fascinating for me.

Chuck Shute: 25:58

Yeah. What about like doing those like, you know, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel and Howard Stern, those kinds of short interview forms, versus now that you can do the longer podcast interviews. Talk about the differences. What do you enjoy more?

Eric Roberts: 26:11

What you just talked about three totally different interview or? Yeah, true, completely different interview II, interviews, interviews, and and Howard is is a really hard fun, weird, exhausting interview. And Conan is a very shallow and kind of adolescent. And here's the face. Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy Kimmel is cool. And Jimmy Kimmel is smart. And Jimmy Kimmel is either very personal, or very business. And Jimmy Kimmel runs an empire. And so you know, you you get that feeling. If you're unsure what

Chuck Shute: 26:57

is it? So who is like the best person like if I as an interviewer, if there's somebody I should watch, or study, who should I look up to? Who's the best person that's interviewed? You?

Eric Roberts: 27:08

Always? I don't know. That's a big question. And you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna leave out a bunch of people if I name somebody. Oh, hell, I don't know. Probably. Probably Sam Kasher is as Sam cash. The guy who interviewed me for Vanity Fair. Oh, okay. Little Cool Cat. Little, little, little genius. And, and he has you really unique questions. You think, wow, I knew Vanessa before, like all the time. And he's just really cool. And he's really intense. But he's funny, and he's smart. And he's probably my favorite interview or I ever had. Okay, I'll

Chuck Shute: 27:56

have to look that up. I'm not familiar with him. I like hearing stuff like that.

Eric Roberts: 27:59

Because of him because he had just done the Obama interview with which sold more magazines and in the history of magazines, apparently. Anyway. And so then I was next. And for some reason, he chose me or I was chosen for him. I don't know how that works. I'm sure you can pick whoever wants to talk to anyway. And and so yeah, and he didn't any any big interview with me for the was it the had an award issue? Oh, Christmas issue.

Unknown: 28:33

It was the Academy Award.

Eric Roberts: 28:34

It was an issue. Two years ago. Sound Cashner Sam Cashman. Yeah. And he is asking who's back favorite interview I've ever had. And you don't really have favorite interviews you love French brewers did love Fred shores.

Chuck Shute: 28:52

Okay, yeah, I just like to have a little homework to figure out. Do more research later. So that's cool. It's cool. Yeah. Now what about a bucket list? I heard you say that you wanted to work together with Christopher Walken on a set? You haven't done that. But what about how have you never worked with Quentin Tarantino? How was that guy never called you? Because I feel like his thing is like grabbing these actors from the 70s and 80s. And putting them in his movies and just in a brilliant way. Like what do you do with Kurt Russell and John Travolta and

Eric Roberts: 29:23

so I've just said, Honey, I need you. I need to spend it or do you want to explain? So can I Okay, all right. All right.

Unknown: 29:31

Um, okay. It's very much on Quinton. It's very much on Clinton's mind and air and he has Eric has met with him a lot to talk about it. And now he's doing his podcast and talking about um, how much he loves runaway train and he brings up Eric all the time. You're right, Eric is everybody says so just like the the usual suspects for that. So when it came to Django, Django and also there was another one laid out mod that eight Hateful Eight. Yeah, man and Eric had a lot of meetings went through the material. And you know, Quentin has his ways he wanted when he went with Don Johnson instead of Eric, it was partly the age and it was also a certain vibe and a certain just kind of who don was. There was one time when he wanted Eric, but he wanted him to be very animated and angry, then he wasn't sure if he wanted that. So it's just been creative. But I have a feeling now with this project he's working on, it may very well happen. So there is we are friends. And there's a huge mutual respect there. And his casting director Vicki Thomas is a really good friend of ours. So that's definitely on the radar. I wish what I heard all the times that people say what you just said,

Chuck Shute: 30:46

he's I just think I look at though I mean, Quentin Tarantino is my probably my favorite director. I'm just thinking, this would be a perfect fit. I'm like, how's this? How's this never happened? I had to go back. And look, I was like, had to make sure way. He never did like a small cameo or something. I'm like, No, it's gotta happen, though, is he's doing one more movie, right?

Unknown: 31:03

He's doing one more movie. He's working. He's in production on his final Now supposedly, yeah, Eric was gonna take over for him when he did wait until dark on Broadway. And then they close the show before we had a chance. But we were with Quentin talking about the role and we went to a minute what's

Eric Roberts: 31:19

gonna happen? Yeah, okay. No. Okay. Perfect. I'm

Chuck Shute: 31:23

glad you're here for this next question. Because it was a it was your advice that you gave to Eric, treat every person like they could be your boss next week. So I guess the question is, to follow up on that. How do you deal with difficult personalities working in the business, because any business is going to have difficult personalities, but you always hear stories, especially about Hollywood. Now, I've done like over 300 of these interviews, all the musicians and actors and comedians that I've had on mostly just been amazing, very happy. But there's gotta be some people that are difficult to work with. How do you deal with that?

Unknown: 31:56

Well, the thing, the thing to do is, you got to keep your side of the street clean, you have to be able to review the day. And if something's echoing in your

Eric Roberts: 32:04

loan shorter, keep your side of the street clean. Yeah, better walkers, I'm gonna decide to the street, no wave to it. Okay, let it go on. Just keep your side clean, and be entertained by the other side of the street. It's okay, whatever happens, you know, you don't have to support it. But you know, I'm gonna great audience.

Chuck Shute: 32:23

Yeah, but is there a limit? If people are if it's directed towards you, and if the people are being nasty to you and saying things like you have to how do you just smile and walk away?

Unknown: 32:33

Us is not so bad. If somebody's being a bully and picking on someone not their own size, like let's say, a star being mean to a crew member, you know, then we have said something, you know, but in a gracious way. Because when you when it's resonating in your head later, you don't want echoes of yourself make you cringe cringe at the other guy. But you do have to stand up for people. So, so if somebody's being rude, but we really have encountered so little of it, it's shocking that a lot of it on set, it's really amazing. But we wouldn't, but you'd say it in a kind of compassionate way. Just like Hey, I think that really hurt his feelings or or, or, or else you just do it by example. You present something but in a positive way and hoping that they're gonna pick up on it. Like when you stop child abuse. Yeah, it's very similar to intervening in a child abuse situation. You have to do it, where the parent feels supported, but also you open their eyes and you know, there's a limit to the support,

Eric Roberts: 33:34

you don't kind of send it to

Chuck Shute: 33:37

Yeah, another thing I was gonna ask you about for advice is just like I heard you tell a story about when you tried out for Raising Arizona, it was against the zoo and Nicolas Cage and you showed up and you were high as a kite and then through therapy you kind of learned that maybe you did that you were kind of hoping to be rescued. So how could we as people if we have friends with substance abuse or somebody's listening has substance abuse themselves? How do they recognize that kind of thing in themselves or in other people that they're trying to be rescued? What do you think the signs are there?

Eric Roberts: 34:09

Here's here's the bottom line do to not answer your question but a bit of backdoor away and the bottom line is you're talking about an industry that is based on time and money, time and money you have this virtual need for this much time. You can't have an employee who gets high it's not acceptable it's not practical. It's not smart. So you don't do it unless support your John Belushi and the whole movies is okay you put up with it, but but that's rare. And he ends up dead by the way so you know, it's it's another happy ending, but, but you know, it just it's like, and you learn that you knew nobody's going to do you a favor of what what what, what you left undone for yourself? And no, you know, but to answer

Unknown: 34:57

because you're asking a very specific ah, Question, which is a really good one it's not often asked, I think we all have to assume that denial is part of us about everything. Because it is it's it's a it's a defense mechanism to keep ourselves from being so freaked out by ourselves. And so if you really start and if we're talking to people who who may have a problem or know somebody has a problem, you start every day and a couple of times a day, just saying yourself, what am I bullshitting myself about? One of my hands denial about what would someone else say if they saw this, and then in terms of sabotaging the really good opportunities, in order to to because you don't like yourself very much. And in order to, you know, feel deserving, and in order to get some help and to look for rescue? I think that again, it's it's a matter of, of self analysis, just looking to see how much of your of the bad old days you're repeating your earliest earliest days, what am I doing now? Because it is true. I've seen actors do this, where, when the stakes are the highest, and there's most there's the most reward possible. That's when they will show up late, resist direction, and you're just like, Oh, wow. And so I think if you if everything you do you put the words I want in front of it, like, like, let's say that you're that you're like, oh my god, I'm, you know, I'm so drunk, and I have this thing to go to. So if you instead say, I want to be so drunk and have this thing to go to, then you can look at that and you're not going to get away with it, because I'm going to do so just just put I want in front of anything.

Chuck Shute: 36:44

Wow, that's really good advice. And I like what you said too, about the not bullshitting yourself because that could just has nothing to do with substance abuse to that could just be normal everyday things. Yeah.

Unknown: 36:54

Anything it can be it can be thinking that all it's California, I don't need a coat and going out and freezing your ass off. Three days a week. Yeah, I'll be fine. And then we go to SAT and he's like, do they have a warm up jacket? And you had your coat at all? You didn't? You're in denial?

Chuck Shute: 37:11

Yeah. Wait, okay, stick around for this question, too. This is a good one. The family gatherings with your because your family there's, you know, you're both in the business. Your daughter's in the business your steps on your sister? What is it like at a family gathering with all you guys? Is this like crazy behind the scenes stories? Or do you just not even talk about entertainment business at all, I was just like, pass the potatoes.

Unknown: 37:34

We do like potatoes. My daughter naters Most of those things. So you've got

Eric Roberts: 37:40

12345 People that are very successful. So you got five people with five incredible schedules. They we do not hang out. I mean, I have to sometimes I have one of my daughters, Elizabeth process street with with her wife, and 12 our granddaughters, and we only see them 30 times a year, you would think we'd see them 300 times a year. Okay. We don't. It's just how it works. And, and, and, you know, she, she she she and Julie have a have she she and Julia have a have a relationship with their fingers. You know, I mean,

Unknown: 38:31

email. When when Keaton was playing on Ellen, and Julia decided he should get his hair cut by Serge her guy who's fantastic. She was very excited to get the haircut, Serge sent us a bunch of pictures. And then we watched together on the phone. She was watching and I was watching when Keaton came on. We were so excited. It was absolutely no different from if neither of us had ever been on TV or ever even seen a TV. So pretty much it's a good question. Every once in a while you kind of freeze the frame in your mind and you realize, oh my god, this is kind of rare that you know, for these people to be all together and just talking about work and stuff. But for the most part, you know, you talk about it, but not in any way. You don't you're not starstruck with yourself at all. So it just feels like hanging out with anybody. It's really hard to kind of wrap your mind around. Why. You know, I was I was looking for a message from Eric's first cousin who has a heavy southern accent. Yesterday to use it. We were I was coaching one of our students because we do a lot of acting coaching. And she needed to she's Russian she needed to hear an American Southern accent. So I was scrolling through my messages, messages from Mickey work, David to company, Chris Daughtry, whatever, and I'm scrolling through my messages. And she's like, Wait, hold on. Right. And I wasn't thinking about it. I was just scrolling through my messages, and the only one that really stopped me was waiting for my mom because she passed away and I had saved this message. So you just, you don't you kind of can't fathom it one way or the other. It's it becomes what it is, which is very much more flimsy than it looks. Right.

Eric Roberts: 40:14

It's not it's not an issue. It's not important. It's, it's on your mic ever works. Except when somebody points at me, y'all, you had a job?

Chuck Shute: 40:23

Yeah. Well, so the family, I think it's cool the family business, you know, I mean, I think that would probably apply to a lot of different businesses. If, if a parents had a steel business and their son goes into the steel business or whatever. But I wanted to get your thoughts on, like Jamie Lee Curtis, she just won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. And I started hearing the term Nepo baby, and I don't really like that term, because i You can't help who your parents are right. And so what did people expect to do Jamie Lee Curtis, to not go into acting and then deny the world 45 years of amazing acting entertainment. I mean, I felt like that would be more of a sin than her going into acting I was happy for well, what are your thoughts on that, though?

Eric Roberts: 41:03

You lay you set it up front? You can't You're not responsible for who your parents are, dude, it's simple as that. And, and you're they, they they show you a way that either interests you or doesn't. And, and if it does, it's a wow thing. And if it doesn't, it's an fu thing. You will you go a different way. You know, it's just how it always works. And, you know, I just have always loved the theater, basically, because it was a way to it was a way to learn lines and not stutter because I had a bad stutter. Right? It was it was it was it was a freedom. For me. It was there's a luxury. And I just love learning in my life. So

Chuck Shute: 41:47

yeah, that's such an inspiring thing about the stutter. I know James Earl Jones had the same thing. And I mean, it's so crazy to think of that because he's one of us hired to do these voiceovers for CNN and such and, but he started with a stutter. It's crazy.

Eric Roberts: 42:00

James Joel and I have have worked together four times. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 42:04

Did you guys share that story with each other? Or did you Oh, yeah, we

Eric Roberts: 42:08

are we we've, uh, we've shared humiliating experiences about about about being a southern what those losers put us through? Yeah, we we talked about it. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 42:20

And that helps kind of motivate you. In a way it's

Eric Roberts: 42:23

fun after the fact is we're both so healed from it. And is our remember that was that was hurt so bad. I know. Yeah. Because, you know, we're, we're such survivors of that crap. You know, that, you know, that's just a little a little bitty vein of existence for us now.

Chuck Shute: 42:43

Yeah, that's really cool. So, I know, you obviously couldn't watch every movie that you've been in, but sometimes I think I heard you say that you sometimes hide out in the movie theaters and watch people's reactions to your movies?

Eric Roberts: 42:55

Sure. Yeah. That's, that's when it's really fun. Especially the old days when, when new and when you would have, you know, when when movies would run in a theater for, you know, six to 18 weeks, you know, all depending on if it hit you know, and and, and so you know, that you would have all kinds of audiences, you know, that, that, that you could go watch it with, you know, you know, matinee audiences evening on, it's your weekend audiences, weekday audiences, and they're always different. And, you know, sometimes they love to sometimes they did not, but it was just fun. And it's everybody's dream, at least, through me. You want to see the world through yourself, but through me, it's everybody's dream to be a movie star. Oh my god, you sit in a theater and watch your movie. With an audience reacting to you but not know you're there is the most is the most commonly satisfyingly powerful feeling there is.

Chuck Shute: 43:54

Well, yeah, because you're you're inspiring people. You're moving people either to laugh or to cry or to or you're scaring them and what I mean, I would think that the comedy ones would be the best, the most satisfying to hear people laugh because when you're doing a comedy on film, does the crew laugh or how do you know if it's funny if you're if there's no audience?

Eric Roberts: 44:14

Well, the only time I ever had a true applaud, he was in a poker Greenwich Village. When I come in after losing my thumb, and I did the first walkthrough, and then we shot it. And I got the applause. We shattered again, I got applause again. And then we did pick up shots. It was done in two takes. And that is the only time that's ever happened to me. And it was the most humbling, satisfying, emotional moving. I can call it up right now. And just sob if I wanted to. It was the most incredible moment of my film career. And I was with a friend of mine. I was with a guy and Mickey who are You know, I told him before, look, you have one line after my first page of dialogue, I gotta get it because it's a transition to go into my second page of dialogue. You gotta give me that line when it When, when, when you're supposed to, okay? No sweat, ace, okay? We show up, we're having a rehearsal. He didn't know his line. Go learn your frickin line. I'll be in my trailer at lunch is picking lunch all the time, I acted like an actor with Mickey. And I did acted like an actor. And he learned his line, I came back and we knocked it out. But you know, I had to have that structure. You know, this has to be done properly, but more because, because once I cut loose on that speech, I'm loose, dude. So I gotta have that line where it goes. And but, you know, we we fell in love on that movie. And I, you know, and we we never fell out. And

Chuck Shute: 45:59

you know, he's a great actor do Yeah, well, didn't you? You did a movie, another movie with him called night walk. And then I heard you saying that. Maybe they were talking about doing some sort of sequel to the Pope.

Eric Roberts: 46:10

That has been taught for 30 years do Yeah. But yeah, we did. We did a movie that I'm proud of because of how I changed the character called SPen. You know, that's,

Chuck Shute: 46:21

yeah, that's with Patrick Fugate. There's like all star cast on that. What about the

Eric Roberts: 46:27

movie? Yeah, that's a good movie. Yeah, they often at that point, the director says, Look, I've like seen your body do do do you stay in shape? I said, Yeah, he goes, because you have a good body. Right? Yeah, he's okay. I don't want your that your shirt. We have girls on be a stud. I'm like, you know, that's been done a lot. I don't mind doing that. But let's, let's go the opposite. Let's go. We're I'm very feminine. I have on ruffles and our voice. And he says, I love that idea. And we do it. And, you know, and because you know, and everybody was so happy about me and Mickey being reunited as it were. But you know, he's so good in that loving God. He's really in that movie. And when he blows up at the end, oh my god. I know Mickey. I know the movie. I was in the movie. Baba Baba, and I know his Korean. Oh, my God. I cried at the end. I mean, he blew up. Oh, my God. I just sobbed. And I know it's not real. I know. Mickey's gonna be over in a minute. If he wants to be you know, I know. But it just the acting and the movie making was so good. Oh my god.

Chuck Shute: 47:47

That's awesome. I love it. Yeah, so many things that you can be inspired by music and films. And do you read books too?

Eric Roberts: 47:56

I have a 5000 book library. Music. Let's talk about music. Keaton Simon's Yeah. Okay. We're stepson. My favorite singer songwriter happens to be a relative? Yes. It's, it's very convenient. No, no, no, he is. And I didn't expect him to ever be. But he is. And he's my favorite singer songwriter. And, and I've probably seen him live, I don't know. 300 400 times. And oh, he's incredible dude. In the open for Eric Clapton. Last year. Now he's with now a not a nice plan for Brett young. And he's just a winner, dude. He's just a brilliant, brilliant. I love it. And I'm very proud to be related to him.

Chuck Shute: 48:44

Yeah, I would love to have him on the show. I listen to his music. I was like, Oh, this is really as good. Yeah, I have to try to get him on my show.

Eric Roberts: 48:51

After you hear his music. You want to know him? Yeah, that's good stuff. Thank

Chuck Shute: 48:56

you talked about doing a book about your life. Is that Is that coming out anytime soon? Or is that something like a line?

Eric Roberts: 49:04

I gotta do a book. Such a big deal. Yes. And also, you know, I like it all these days. Anyway. If if I wouldn't do a book. I feel really ill. I don't know. To get to that shit. I'm getting old. No books.

Chuck Shute: 49:30

Yeah, well, God, you have such a career. There's got to be so many stories. You just want to make sure it's all documented. I guess some of it's in podcasts and interviews.

Unknown: 49:37

Yeah, but you want it all in one place. It's true. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 49:42

That's really cool. Well, I know you're probably gonna get let you get going because you're doing a million other things. I always send each episode A promote a charity. Is there a charity that you've worked with or that Oh,

Eric Roberts: 49:52

yeah.

Unknown: 49:54

Yes. Oh, thank you. I know you do that which we love you for natural child.org Okay, natural child project. It's an incredible charity. And it's it's all encompassing. It really has to do with parenting and children and it's incredibly compassionate. And they do a lot of good in the world. The natural child project.

Chuck Shute: 50:18

Okay, perfect. I will put that in the show notes. Anything else that you want to promote here at the end?

Unknown: 50:23

Well, of course the kids Keaton and no pie. Pie bake shop on Instagram. Okay. And no epi vape shop. And then of course, Keaton Simon's which you can find anywhere.

Chuck Shute: 50:36

Mr. Roberts. Well, yes, your job. Yeah. It's so funny. I was looking up and I was like, Oh, I didn't realize he has a daughter Emma. She's the girl from we're the Millers. And I tell my girlfriend, she's a little more hip than I am. She's like, Emma Roberts is she's kind of famous. I was like, Oh, I didn't. I looked at all the credits. Yeah, I was like, okay, yeah, she's, she's done. She's doing okay, so that's great. Awesome. Very cool. Well, thank you so much, guys. I appreciate it so much.

Unknown: 51:04

Yeah, this was very fun. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 51:07

A lot of fun. Appreciate it. We'll get this episode up soon. Thank you so much. Bye, bye. Thanks again to Eric and Eliza Roberts. Just wonderful people doing great things. Follow them on Instagram. Support them by seeing Eric's movies. A lot to see their support their son Keaton Simon's by checking out some of his music. He's very talented as well. And of course, their daughter, Emma Roberts. She's an actress and you can support the show here by sharing this episode on social media. Even just a like or comment helps the algorithm so that more people will see it. And of course, make sure you subscribe to the show wherever you watch or listen. And if you can give us a rating or review that will help too. I appreciate all your support. Have a great day. Shoot for the moon.