Being the niece of Julia Roberts and daughter of actor and Julia's brother, Eric Roberts, it is no surprise that Emma Roberts is becoming a teen-queen. The actress and singer was born in Rhinebeck, New York to Kelly Cunningham and Eric Roberts. The two were never married, but after Emma was born, the couple found themselves in court regarding a domestic violence suit. Julia sided with her brother's ex-girlfriend, and bought the women a home after Eric kicked them out. Since then, Emma has had her aunt in her life more so than her father. Roberts' mother, Cunningham, married former LA Guns bassist Kelly Nickels, who has been Robert's mentor and father-figure her entire life.

From an early age Roberts knew she wanted to follow in her aunt's footsteps, often visiting Julia on film shoots and soaking in the business. Her acting debut appeared alongside Johnny Depp in the 2001 film Blow, at the age of nine. She has also had several appearances in other Hollywood films, including 2001's BigLove, 2002's Grand Champion and 2003's Spymate.

In 2004 she appeared on the Nickelodeon television show Unfabulous, as lead character Addie Singer. The series showcases Roberts's talent not only as an actress but also as a singer, as Addie often plays the guitar. From her role she earned a nomination at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards and two nominations at the Young Artist Awards. The final season finished in December 2007. Roberts continued to pursue acting, starring in the hit Nickelodeon film Nancy Drew, as well as Wild Child in 2008, and Hotel For Dogs and Lymelife, both in 2009.

Showcasing her singing skills on Unfabulous, Roberts first contributed the song "If I Had It My Way," for the Disney soundtrack to Ice Princess. Later, she released her debut album, Unfabulous and More in 2005. She has since become a spokesperson for Dooney & Burke.