THE ED MYLETT SHOW - Love, Drugs, and Hollywood - w/ Eric & Eliza Roberts

Episode Date: July 28, 2020

Addiction, marriage, success, sex, Hollywood… this interview has it all! Eric Roberts is one of the greatest American actors in the last 40 years and one of the all-time leading working actors in Hollywood with over 500 appearances! He’s a 3-time Golden Globe nominee, an Academy Award nominee, and one of my favorite actors of all time. I am a HUGE fan and I’m so excited to bring you Eric Roberts and his wife, manager, and hero, Eliza Roberts! This dynamic and energetic duo keep it REAL in this week’s episode of The Ed Mylett Show. “We all want to be rescued…” Eric says as he explains how he recovered from his addiction to cocaine and marijuana. He reveals the secret weapons he used during his process which can be used to recover from any kind of addiction you or a loved one may be facing; drugs, alcohol, sex, other people’s approval, negative thoughts, and more! Eliza shares her insight and tips on how to navigate being affected by someone with an addiction and how she was able to stay supportive and committed through Eric’s recovery. And you don’t want to miss their heartwarming story about how vulnerability and the hit TV Show Celebrity Rehab, led to the ultimate recovery for Eric and their entire family. Experience the excitement of Hollywood and film making through the eyes of a legendary actor and how he has been able to never work a day in his life! This power couple is sharing all of their secrets! They built a family, a business, and an empire together. They found JOY in recovery and “even on bad days, things are okay.”

This is the Edmmerwood Show. Alright, welcome back to Max out everybody. This is going to be interesting today. This is a different show. First it's cool because I get to interview a couple. You guys know that, you know, I've done that from time to time. It seems like when we do it, it's people that are in the acting space for the most part. But this is a really interesting conversation because I've been, Eliza's been Eric's manager

for 30 years. I've been married 27 years, someone around there. There's a long-term relationship. But in Eric's case, he doesn't know this. I'm a big fan. I think Eric Roberts is one of the great American actors of the last three, really four decades, 40-year-long career. He's one of these people guys that he jumps off the screen.

There's something about his look, his energy, the way he communicates, no matter if it's a comedic role or a dramatic role. You watch him, and I've been a fan of his, you know, you guys, and not just me, over 500 credits. You're talking about one of the most appeared actors between TV and film of all time. Three time Golden Globe Award nominee, Academy Award nominee, and of all the roles,

you've been amazing, Eric, but Star 80 was just this unbelievable role that he played and character he played in that movie is when I first discovered him. So long intro, amazing conversation today. We're going to go all over the place. I have Eric and Eliza Roberts with me today. Welcome you guys. That was so kind of you.

Thank you so much. Just real quick, Star 80 was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I just said in Bobboss he's lap and let him offer me like a puppet. Why was it hard? What was it so difficult? He was fantastic. He's all the things that you want a director to be. They say, I want this, this, this, and this, and nothing else go. And you deliver for them. And they say, you did it all but this, and he just, this, okay, you never again. And they say, we did it.

And you have a collaboration, it's magic. But it was because he was a genius. He was a genius. Why was it so difficult, Eric? What was difficult about that role? Oh, I'm so not a Paul Snyder guy that when you read it on the page, it comes across like a bad joke.

You're like, I'm real because it's so embarrassing. And then you realize that the person that you have to play really believes his behavior. So you have to start to believe the behavior. So while your friends are you and your and your girlfriend feel sorry for you and and you and you become Baphasi puppet. And honestly he out wants you around somebody who's a genius. You well you realize a couple of things that you're not one and that there are breed unto themselves and we overuse in that word like love. Genius.

He's a genius. Oh, I love her so much, but we don't mean it. When you work with a genius, you know it. They control you through the gift they have that you can't believe you don't. And you won't ever because you're not a genius, but they are. And so when they say, come here, it's okay, how fast? Have you had a genius manager in your life? I'm just curious, like, you've, you know, a lot of people that have worked with you that I know, by the way, would put you right into that category, brother, in many ways, because of the diversity of your ability to play different characters.

I'm going to say every type of characters is true. But you've lasted a long time, Aliza. What part of that longevity have you played in Eric's career? I think the fact that I've been on all sides really, really helped because your typical agent or manager makes decisions from a criteria that's really removed from the beating heart of the actor and the audience. And for me as a

casting director for instance, I made my decisions based completely viscerally. I would put aside all of the, you know, growing up in this business and everything and just think, would I want to never turn off the television if this person was on it? And, you know, based on that was everything. So that's what I want to never turn off the television if this person was on it. And you know, based on that was everything. So that's what I started to do with Eric. He would get offers and I would hear the passion from the filmmakers or the showrunners or whatever. I would also picture the audience seeing him in this role.

As you said, because of the diversity, juxtaposed to what they just saw him in last week. And I thought, we got to, it's supply and demand. We gotta give this to them. If there's one little gem, one little part of it, working with somebody again, the loved last time, a certain location, you know, a moment in a script that you've never played before. There's so many things, and there's never been a project that he's done where he hasn't come away with something that he wouldn't trade for anything. So, we're working together.

We're working very and working together. We can tell you a little story. In 1993, we'd been together a while, but it was early in our relationship. And she says to me, Eric, if you could do anything, every single day, what would it be? And I said, I'd be on a movie set. I love movies.

I love doing it. I love movies. I love doing it. I love being a little bit cruel. I love all of it. She goes, that's not going to happen. And then 2003 comes and she goes, you know, everybody's buying cameras. And by 2008, all we were getting in dozen offers every single day from around the world because everybody had a camera. Everybody became Drone Studio. Everybody was making movies, even if they were never seen anywhere, they were making them.

And they were making them for money. They're making real movies. They were calling for me from all over the world. So she says, I mean, do you want to change this? I said, well, let's go travel. Yeah. So like, started out, it just kind of fun. Then it got It got serious and and then and then I realized

Something that I knew when I when when I was a youngster, but I left behind and that's every movie Every TV show every script every every part of it is somebody's infant And they're entrusting that infant to me. They like them and say, hold my baby. Oh, my God, I always want to hold my baby. And you're saying, and I'm holding it properly, thank you. And they say, yes, you are my God.

And so it's this wonderful thing that happened. And my wife, because you know, being an actor, we're raised selfishly. We think of ourselves because we kind of have to. Because if we don't, it's not going to happen. So that's the self-centered world that we're reared in and we thrive in. It's a self-centeredness, unfortunately, somewhat fun how to give. But my wife had this whole take on the world of we can give them you if they want you and you could also have what you want

Which be on a movie sit every day your life and we can really do this and I work Eric because you work all the time right? Does it not feel like working because you love it so much or I have a day of my life now I have the bet I've seen the planet. I have the best job on the planet and And that's not I just do dude look at my job look what I did look where I go and And I got a wife who comes from royalty Hollywood royalty or her Her thoughts and asked winner her mom's a triple Emmy winner, all that, I mean, she comes from royalty. And so she gets it all. She gets every single

bit out. And so I'm looking sky and now because I don't work for living. And I have a wife who understands me. And when the, when I got a call from a disassistent about 15 years ago, who said, Eric, can they've been turning down stuff without telling you? And I just want you to know. So he said, you've got a list. She said, yes, I do. And so give it to me. And there's millions of all this stuff, but it was all small, but it adds up.

It's a lot of money. And it's a lot of stuff that I would want to do. And a lot of small stuff that you have to do for a young filmmakers. And they wouldn't tell me. So I called them all in because when you fire an agency, they're blacklisted. They say, I always try to do it. You don't want him blah, blah, blah, blah.

So I call them all in. And I say, guys, I'm going to fire you. But before I do, you can't talk about me badly when I leave here. Because if you do, I'll sue you and I'll win. Because look what you did, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, don't do that. Come on, you guys. And I I'm leaving but don't talk about me and they never did and I get home that day and I said to her you're the boss and my wife goes I can't do this I said but you've been doing it so you're just doing it for real.

Eric there's a lot of people that watch my show, that's cool story, but you see about Eric's energy, everybody I told you. So I'm curious though, because I, I, there are a lot of entrepreneurs watch my show. And I think actors are, to some extent, entrepreneurs, right, you're, you're self-employed. And you're also a couple. So a lot of the people that watch my show

are couples in business, or they're an entrepreneur. And entrepreneurs, I think, by nature too, are a little bit selfish, you know, because they have to be with their time, they've got to provide. Is it been, is there any rules you two have established, because you have to sleep in the same bed together every single night? Yet, there's this business relationship, too. Has that been difficult?

Do you guys have any, like, structure to it, or is it just an arc, not a science of how you've done this together? Well, I'm gonna let her explain the big picture, but the most, the most immediate picture is this. So what my wife reparented be with and taught me was this. You need to treat everybody. Every single human you encounter, like they're gonna be your boss next week. Not only because they might be, but because it's respectful always hold and always have for you as well and so why not give a little get a little be sweet and she taught me that and it sounds over simplified but it's a big deal and when you really learn how to

do it you get such satisfaction by being a selfish actor because I'm an actor, I'm selfish. And but she's taught me how to give back. And it's a wonderful feeling and it's a lot of fun. And I thank her every day. Eliza, what would you say? You know, you mentioned art and science. And you know, for us, those things are very connected.

Art, nature, and science. That's kind of it. And so there's, they're kind of in a lot of ways the same thing. I mean, if you look at reproduction or flowers or whatever, which are science and nature, the art is the magic is beyond belief. And so there isn't a real separation. This is how I love my family is through work and helping to bring those dreams forward. Like I say to many of the actors that I coach and especially to those who are very successful,

don't forget when you were that person who was just dying to get a role, to be a working actor, stay connected to that part of your essence so that you can, so there's not a disconnect and so that you can feel that joy every time you get a role, because it's very easy to kind of let that slip away. And so in our situation, you know, Eric was really,

it was a case of relaunching because you have to do that with an artist every few years. So it was reinventing him. Launching Keaton, Keaton Simon's is a recording artist, was my son, Eric's beloved stepson. And he's got a lot of fans and he's absolutely amazing. An incredible singer, son of a...oh my god, now everybody thinks their kid is, but this kid just opened up very clapped and he was on the road with the bright young, I mean, he's the real deal. So you know, you're launching and building that career in this industry, which I've always refused to see as a cesspool. And I've even had Keaton say to me a few times, you know, mom, I'm talking to you.

Can you focus? You're focusing on your laptop. And I'll say, but I'm setting up a gig for you or arranging a placement. His music is all over movies and TV. And he'll say, yeah, I know to you that feels like love, you know, because it's a wonderful joy in my life. But actually, I'd like to just talk to my mom.

Now, Eric almost never says that. He keeps totally right by the way. Eric almost never said that he used to, but actually since quarantine, he's kind of noticed what my part of the, what my cog is in the wheel and what the job is. And I think he started to register that as nurturing and love and romance, you know, in a completely twisted way.

It's service, that's romance, right? And I think more you, I really believe this, why do you do some relationship coaching stuff? I really believe that, you know, if you want to increase the love in your relationship, serve each other more. And the more you serve somebody or something, this is all the way back to scriptures too, any scriptures, the more your love for them grows, the more you just decide to serve them. So you've been serving him now. quarantine's kind of slowed down. He's watching the way you serve him a little bit more closely with him. I'm in it totally in it. Yeah. My walk is my hero.

And I can say that after after 30 years of kissing her because I have that right now without sounding silly with that. And like someone, oh, you know, just my hero, blah, blah, blah, blah, I'm so silly. I'm so in love, blah, blah. No, I'm just, I'm an old guy who has a hero because she's smarter than me. She's as talented and like then some as me, she better look into me. I'm a better cook, but she's like, she's my hero and she taught me how to be a grown-up to some degree. I will never be a grown-up, but she rescued me

from my ridiculous silly child itself in the something that I really treasure. And Eliza, is this humility of Eric's, it strikes me, he seems to, seem to pours an awful lot of affection and recognition on other people, especially you, which is beautiful, is part of his, because he probably wouldn't,

if this humility is there, he won't answer this all that you answer it. I find somebody that works really hard like Eric works, Eric's a hard worker. Guys, I said it in the introduction, you come out hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of appearances. So sometimes three movies at the same time, driving to multiple sets and to give him a day. Yes, I did my research, by the way. And and so one, that means you're

really incredible at what you do that people want to book you, right? But secondly, I think it takes humility to have that kind of work ethic to some extent too. So is that one of Eric's magic combinations or am I way off the mark there? No, you're right on the mark, actually. He's, Eric has a lot of the fears that the rest of us have. He just doesn't have. He's got a lot of courage. You don't don't miss it. He's got a lot of courage.

And he, you know, he just kind of grabs it and does it. It's not that he doesn't complain sometimes but feel overwhelmed. There's no question about that. You know, you just scientifically you couldn't not but he He does have a strong work ethic. It's also great You know if you are a person who's wounded and struggles and hates yourself sometimes a person who's wounded and struggles and hates yourself sometimes, just accomplishing a job, checking in off the list, making sure you delivered what the people require is a great drug.

It's a great way to say, okay, at least in this one area, I can feel good. I did this. I think that some of the driver boasts of us, you know, we've discovered each other by accident. Think some of the drive for both of us is really as simple as not. You also have to do that. That's one of these little things that, that, you know, you get all this relationship advice, I interviewed Gabby Reese the other day, Laird Hamilton and Gabby, he's a big wave surfer

and she's the famous volleyball player and if you know the they are. And we're talking about different things in relationships. She goes, yeah, love's important and honesty's important in communication, but like chemistry is one of these things nobody talks about with you both have.

But you started to go down and roadalyze. I want to go down because I want to help our audience. Guys, this is where our conversation is going to shift and we're going to get real here for a few minutes. Because I want you to help people. You said courage and you also talked about having things where sometimes you hate yourself or don't like yourself or previous wounds in life. And when you say that, the person I think of in my life is my dad, both from courage,

wounds, healing himself. And the reason I say courage is my dad's been sober now for many many many years but struggled with addiction and So did Eric and I know how that can impact a family another can impact a relationship and I know the courage it takes to Face those things and like in my dad's case he faced them multiple times before he finally Faced it. Yeah, I'm curious Eric. Maybe you could go first But if you would share with everybody sort of your experience. I've read things about you saying hey I went into me with all of her stone

Stone, you know, or I I went in with such a director and there became a point Where you decided you you know, after a long time that you wanted to do something about that. So, would you tell somebody, Eric, who struggled with long-term addiction, like many, by the addiction, could be drugs, alcohol, addiction to worry, sex, pornography, whatever it might be, what would you, what help or hope or message would you give to somebody who's struggled with or lives with somebody who's struggled with addiction for a long time? Well, that's a big, big, bad question that you need somebody very intelligent to answer

and you're talking to me, so it's an issue. But you know this, I know this. Through many years I'm a firm believer, a strong believer in therapy. It worked for me to a great degree. Thanks to my wife who said, you need to go to therapy. I'm like, I don't have a therapist. You need to go to therapy. I don't have anything.

You need to go to therapy. I thought I went to therapy. And after several years of it, I finally found out why I was going to meetings on drugs. Well, how are they doing that? Because I was projecting, I thought they were hit people who I did, I did it to Woody Allen. Shut up, I was okay. And he got mad. He got pissed out. He's like, he's like, he let it right away. And he's like, what? And I'm like, you know, what? Who think it's going to keep now? It's a cute, but I learned, I learned through through therapy. And it's one of the reasons I was strongly aware of it is I would get the highest amount of who I respected the most who I thought could identify with me the most

because I thought they're going to give thought could identify with me the most. Because I thought they're going to give me a civil and-or-rescue me. We all want to be rescued, even those of us who are in their front on the passes forth with a bigger sore. We all want to be rescued, even though we're up fun looking like we're the mother. Efforts of all time. We need to be rescued, and I was looking to be rescued. And that's what I would do. And in fact, there's a wonderful job

raising Arizona, a great movie. Yeah. It came down to me in Nick Cage. And I went in for the final reading, high as a kite. Obviously I didn't get to part. And so it's just, and what did I do it? The common brothers were the coolest

guys I'd ever encountered until that time. And I knew it. And I was exposing myself, or ridiculous part of myself, I'd bad no interest in, and I had no interest in exposing. But for some reason, that was my most vulnerable look at this. And so I did that, foolish as it is. I did that. But I learned why from therapy. I learned about myself and my misgivings and my frail just through therapy, which is why I've been a tell anybody if you have and also Talk to your therapist say I cannot afford you. I can afford this. They may be probably possibly will work with you So there's always a way, and I believe in therapy. I think therapy and my wife sending me to therapy saved my life.

And let me find out who I am, sort of, and that why my behavior was so bad for so long, so consistently pointless. And yet I was sitting on the old mind of talent and experience. Yeah. So why would I jeopardize that? Well, I find that through therapy. And also long-term marriages.

When you have somebody you trust, who you give your trust to, it's so much incredible thing there is. But when you have honesty, she hates it because it's so ass and I. You have honesty and you have sex. You got pretty much what you need. Brother, totally agree. I said back to Gabby yesterday. Bro, we share a brain on that.

I said back to Gabby, she said, hey, chemistry's important. I said, here's the other thing nobody talks about in relationships. You got to have sex. Yeah. You're all alone with your buddy in relationships. You got to have sex. Yeah. You're all alone. You're all alone with your buddy long term. You got to have physical intimacy and that's something that people don't talk about. It's like the basic things, honesty, communication. Yeah, I got it.

I also have that with like the dudes I golf with. Right. He's got to be more than that. Eric, he said something really interesting. I just want to kind of just take note of there and then I'll ask a lies about it too, but because this is for all of you that have friends that have addiction, it might not be you. Or it may be, it could be you, but that idea that you would show up that way wanting to be rescued, almost like that's a really fascinating perspective that I've never heard before, that you would literally, you think you were showing up

that way, sort of hoping for someone to rescue you? Is that what you're saying? It was unconscious. It was an unconscious decision. It was in a thought process that I will do this to get this. It was just a behavior that came out of a need. And I only discovered what that need was

and I had that need that prompted that behavior through therapy. Oh, I discovered it. And it was was through it was through a couple of therapists. So I I I I got an avenue that I made them lead me down properly so I didn't distort myself. And Eliza I'm curious from you. Yeah. There are people listening to this right now who's living with somebody like my mom did for all those years. Yeah. There are people listening to this right now who's living with somebody like my mom did for all those years. Yeah. With someone who's struggling with some type of an addiction.

We're going to go deep just a little bit because I always want I want there to be the entertaining part of my show, but then I want people to go that really helped me. That that Roberts couple. I didn't know what I thought I was going to learn about this incredible actress, incredible couple, they really changed my life. So there's a chance for you, you know, with several million people listening to this who admire you as a couple, you know, what advice would you give to somebody who might be living with someone who's obviously a beautiful soul like my dad, like Eric, but has this disease or this addiction Obviously a beautiful soul like my dad, like Eric, but has this disease or this addiction

that they're struggling with. What would your advice be to them? I think first, I think I could just speak really quickly to what we're just talking about, the thing of being rescued, because it also ties into being an actor and artist. I think all of us, and it manifests in artists by what they choose to do. We want to be loved for our

self. We have this dreaded fear that if somebody really knew us and ask any addict and they'll talk to you about that. Any A, meeting, any Allen on meeting, if somebody really knew us, they believe. So, I mean, like starting as an infant, I mean, think about it. It's a person who changes your diapers. I mean, you want that full embrace to feel that you're fully and fully accepted. And that's why an actor, you choose material, returns you inside out. You went Oscars for crying and falling apart and for killing somebody. I mean, you know, so it's that thing of wanting to be rescued. That's very real. It's more wanting to be seen and loved and invited in for all your filth and all the bad stuff. I always say to my actors,

when I'm poaching, stop being so polite. This is your chance. It's a big mess. Do a big, you know, make a big mess with this scene. Even if it's comedy, it doesn't matter what it is. Now, addiction is interesting. I have never had a sip of alcohol, pot, a cigarette in my entire life and I've never been with anybody who isn't an addict.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. But she she comes from acts. Her her her parents are both brilliant but especially mother was was a bit of a drinker and on and on She's a yeah, she's a out of it. She's a benzene addict basically benzene asapins, you know prescription drugs My dad was much more my biological dad was much more like me. He also did drink But was always with famous alcoholics, you know and and but I think that part of that is, you know, there's the rescuer and the rescuee. But, you know, you come to, you come to lose compassion for that person. So if there are people out there who are living with an addict, you know, you get to a point where you're kind of like, you want to say to them, just kill yourself already.

The slow thing of watching this is, and you don't see that beautiful soul every single minute of every day, ask your mom, right? And it's in there, and it's buried, but you're doing all the work. I do a bunch of YouTube's. They don't get the kind of views that you're, you're as do a serious, I hate pot.

And I just go off on marijuana, which is a very insidious drug, but really doesn't have a strong effect on people. If there are major users, it's not a desired effect. And I drag Eric into it and make him say all this stuff, they probably doesn't really feel. And I'll, you know, my Allen on friends, the cheapest therapy going in the best is 12 step, of

course. Really truly. You know, you put a dollar, maybe these days it's two or three dollars into the into the hat. And really five is up to five dollars. Okay, well, five dollars. It's a lot cheaper than a shrink. But, you know, the father of my children who is to this day with my best friend, he just got sober in his early 60s. And he just, and the only thing he ever, he was like a couple of toks of pot per day and he's a really hard worker.

He is a producer in our business. And he decided to get sober off pot. I mean, talk courage. I just I'm blown away by that. Norman Lear's former wife Francis wrote a book about getting getting sober at age 65. It's never too late but you're right. People go back and forth. You know, Keaton had many, many years sober and then You know, Keaton had many, many years sober and then, you know, worshiped at the shrine of marijuana and then back off and back on. There's a lot of worry involved. There's a lot of, it's like you're watching somebody tumbling into making a definite mistake all the time. And there's a lot on Eric's website that we've both written just little pieces about that. It's and like who's not an addict? I'm a workaholic. I'm addicted to addicts.

I'm addicted to million things. So you know it's too bad that we kind of portioned it off there. Yes. It's just sort of reality. You're doing good things for you have to subject and your thing. Well, thank you I want to unpack a few things there Several so one of the things with my dad he says something about meetings I just want to say to the audience to pre-COVID my dad's in chemo also so he can't go now But for my dad the key was a 12-step program and my dad's been sober 30 plus years and still my dad still goes to and dad if I'm wrong here Sorry because he listens to the show with my mom, but I believe my dad still goes to three to five meetings a week That's me that's heroic to me. Yeah. Yeah, 30 some odd years later, right?

So that stuff works, but Eric I read something about you because I'm watching you. It's interesting I didn't know you before today and now we're gonna know each other really well But I you see now this joy about you this energy about you But when I read about you I read that you said you're saying something about your sister Eric sisters Julia Roberts But you're saying that they were strange for all now you're close again, and you said like many people the quote that I had He said many people I think she just didn't want to be around me because I couldn't even enjoy enjoyable things This is a quote that you had so is this version of the

You that I'm seeing sort of a post-addicted version of you is that is that a part of your personality? That's been unlocked in one of the gifts of Dropping some of those addictionsictions or not. I wouldn't even confine into that kind of definition. It's more, it's more of the fact that it's a glass, half full, half empty thing that I learned, and that is that when I get tons, hundreds a week of small job offers, you know, a day here, a day there, all of the world hundreds a week. And sometimes they're, they're, they're, they're, they're like a bunch of 10,000 miles. Sometimes in their, their, their, their bunch of millions, whatever they are, they're small, but tons. And to sift through them, to find the ones where I can

not only be in advantage for them, but also make myself happy with the experience is a lot of work. And as the artist, I would get a little resentful about it. Don't ask me why, I just would. It would be like, you know, I have to work hard to make them happy. They hired me because I'm only there for five minutes or whatever, but anyway, and my wife taught me the joy in giving that part of myself. You know, when there's an integrate role that I'm studying for in this

and this, I have that time, go do five one day things for people that are 8,000 miles apart from each other. Go do that. Go be tired. It's going to happen. And yeah, you're going to find where you're at. And blah, blah, blah. And I learned to love it. I learned to love it because of my hero, because she taught me to join it.

And I find joy in it. I just got back from New York. This incredible script where I play a man and his conscience. So I play two roles at the same time. I've seen together tons of dialogue, tons of talking, tons of wisdom, and very difficult. And I had one day in between another project that I ended in a night sheet.

So I traveled that day, had that night got up the next morning with dialogue. I mean tons of dialogue, two-way dialogue with myself. The director was a total prick, a total Italian monster. So much so that the first time I ended up in the makeup chair, the makeup girl, I admit, if he was smart, he was charming, he was you sweet. We got long. Great. I didn't know anything

I said to make up your be careful the directors of mad Tell me the whole nine yards. I've heard it before it's always have true But he gives a shit. I got work to do so I can but then I get for the sound man But everybody comes to be careful because he's gonna and then, and then by the way, it's gonna hurt you feelings, it's gonna happen just no other blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm like, God, so weird. And then suddenly he does.

He starts screaming at experts, hurting experts feelings. I call him and say, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Don't yell at her, let your idea yell at her, yell at me. And everybody laughs. And we come, but it was miserable. But he was such a good writer, he was such a good piece,

that I made it work. And he's gonna be stuck with a great performance to have to edit, so that's gonna be our relationship. Awesome. It's awesome. And I'm very proud of my work in this piece. I worked harder than I worked, and maybe since a movie they call it, it's my party.

That was the last job I had. Oh my God, this is bigger than me, and it's really hard to take on. But I did it, and I'm proud of it. But what was the question? Well, it was perfect. You can answer it. What I want everyone to unpack out of that was

the max out a cheater part of Eric. Most people that I interview, particularly that are in the arts that are successful, What I want everyone to unpack out of that was the max out a cheater part of Eric. Most people that I interview, particularly that are in the arts that are successful, some of the comedians, Sebastian Manescalco, if you know who he is, if you ever ever see us stuff like that, and so Nikki Glazer is a comedian, I recently interviewed and she's brilliant. I think some of the people in the arts unconsciously are very competent, what I call max out achievers.

Meaning, because they love what they do, they do things that, they do things greatly they're even unaware of. And so what you're hearing here is, Eric's not 30 years old, you guys. So when you're hearing about the work ethic that this man has, between going from a role with dual characters

that he's playing to the next night into a completely other role, these are little secrets of what's made this man man one of the all-time leading working actors in the history of Hollywood, ever, by the way. And it's one of the things that's made it. That's one of the things I want you to unpack. One of the other things you did, Eric, is that I'm a big believer that when you have one of these addictive personalities, that's why you've won.

By the way, I think you're like a functional addict, I would say it's always my dad, right? Like, I think a lot of people listen to these things. I'm not an alcoholic or drug addict because I have a job or I am productive. That doesn't mean you don't have an alcohol or drug problem. We know. Right, right. But I'm something like a lot of you know, you need to know that there are lots of alcoholics because of the way that he used to be depicted as totally disformed.

There's a lot of very functioning drug addicts in alcoholics and just because you're functioning doesn't mean you don't need to help. There are more functional alcoholics and non-functional alcoholics. Bingo. I'm so glad you said that because you obviously know a thousand times more than I do. But the other thing I think is when you have these personalities pointed in the right direction you're going to achieve. That's why there are a lot of maxed out achievers who are also addicts somewhere else because

it's part of that makeup. Wouldn't you agree? Good for you. Yes. If you're going to have that part of your personality, you're going to have another part of your personality. It's not going to edit itself. Yeah.

And one thing you did, I'm a big advocate of. So when you talk about this for a second, I think you need to know you're one of you did, I'm a big advocate of, so when you talk about this for a second, I think you need to know you're one of those humans. I'm one, and I think one of the things you do is, I don't think obsessions are bad, as long as they're healthy. So if you could take an unhealthy obsession and replace it with a healthy one, and I'm just, you know, Eric, this is one thing you know before, before I interviewed you, people told me this about you. Like you kind of a workout dude, right? Like was that always the case or did you sort of replace an addiction that wasn't healthy with a healthy fitness addiction? You want me to answer when you're looking at me?

No, it's just it's just it's so incredibly important and so I'm incredibly personal and so you start talking about it. It sounds kind of like you're holding a flash cards You know, it's like look what I accomplished and what happened with me was my body replaced my cocaine addiction when I first I had I had a guy running my career that every weekend we go to his country house for a rented half the house and on the way out we do an eighth of cocaine on the way there. And this day up on that if we got there and see the next day in the aquarium. Okay, and that and I was 19 years old. 19, 2021, 22, 23, 24, 25, blah, blah, blah, blah.

And then came on movie that was a lame production company, but it was a great film, and it's written by a man that I bonded with, kind of inadvertently didn't mean to just happen. It was called Runaway Train, where I played a next con, I played a plenty of escape conflict with John Boyd. And that, seeing the people through Eddie's eyes, but through Eddie's relationships, I saw a mirror of myself that I did not like. It was of an addict, it was of a user, it was of a loser. And so I replaced that with my physical

with my physical work on my physical self. And what's that look like, Eric? Now, how old are you, Eric? How are you, buddy? You know mine? Well, I liked everything up until very recently and I've gotten older, but that's not the issue. That's just a little cornerstone of the issue. Actually, I did a show for Bear Grills. And I was on this freaking island for 30 days. Nine other people, they're all in English. I was only American.

And we only ate or drank what we found. Well, we caught fish twice and I boil water every day, so we, but I lost 34, 5, 6, 7, 8 pounds, a lot of weight, over 30 pounds. Yeah, I lost over 30 pounds. And I have since only put half of it back on but I put it back on properly. Now my wife says there is no way to gain the weight back without having all the issues I had before because that's what you are or those issues that's what your body does to food and diet what had. So don't think you can start over but I'm thinking I can. I am I am I'm I'm define her wisdom and I'm trying to make this work.

I've only got half way back so I look ultra-too thin. But I'm gaining a bag by not eating dangishes or ice cream. And, and, and, and, and also my wife is trying to turn me vegan. Now in theory, vegan is the only way to go. Why would we eat an animal, especially a mammal? What's wrong with us? It's weird, but I was raised on chicken and fish. So it's an issue for me, but I am altering.

And I see that the world is altering. Even Burger King offers an impossible burger. You know, everybody's offering stuff that's not animal. Eliza, did Eric answer me how old he is? Did he tell me how old he is? Who? You didn't ask him. He says his age.

How old are you? I'm 77. No, he says his real age. See, you're really age. I'm gonna. 75. 75. And pre-COVID, you were working out a couple times a day, weren't you?

I'm 64 years old, Fout. Yeah. 64 years old. And pre-COVID, you were working out twice a day. I'm still working out every day. It's just on my floor in my bedroom. Unbelievable. So let's talk about vulnerability for a second.

This is awesome, by the way. Awesome, because we're helping people with this stuff. So I asked you, but you didn't hear me in the Zoom connection is what it was. So vulnerability is a big thing. I'm even getting it out of the two of you in this interview. So, vulnerability is a big thing. I'm even getting it out of the two of you in this interview. So, Eric had already quit, I think he quit his cocaine addiction.

And Eliza, were you involved in this decision? Were you the one who decided to have Eric go do celebrity rehab at TV show? Well, I wanted to tell that story from my point of view, Dylan. I come home one day. I leave the gym. I get in my car. I roll a joint, I'm driving home. I get home, I walk in the house and my wife says, we just got to call if you have any drug issues.

I said, sort of, and she said So we rehab and they want to know, if you want to do this show and I said, but all I do is smoke no. She goes, I think that's okay with them. I think any kind of drug is okay as long as you do it every day. I said, okay, I'll start doing it every day until I go on the show, okay?

And it was kind of a joke. But then I get there and I realize, part of my day was as part of my day as a meal is. I mean, it's a part of my day that I will do sometimes during the day. It's not going to not happen. And then when I go off-pot and I realized why I smoke pot There's only getting off it that I Honestly learn why I smoke to start with it kills anxiety and I have a terrible anxiety disorder. I was raised by people who are who are tough and I have anxiety issues over

Whatever the reasons I have anxiety terrible anxiety. Why would. I have anxiety, terrible anxiety. Why would you be an actor then? I don't know. But, you know, but, but, but pot kills it. And it doesn't make me an idiot unless I smoke too much. And so you smoke just enough to kill anxiety. And then you wanna say to people, come on in.

Yeah. Yeah. So Eliza, what's your version of that story? I want to hear your part of it. Okay, celebrity rehab. Actually, I was asked, they put out a breakdown. They did it every season. Just looking for celebrities to do the show.

Yeah. And I was asked to recommend people by, actually, by Eric's agent. And I thought, what about Eric? I haven't seen the show, but I imagine they have not focused that much on marijuana, probably just on the more immediate life threatening drugs. And I knew that his agents would freak out.

They did. But in the same agents who all freaked out when I was off her dancing with the stars, she said, don't do it. I was first puttin' off of that show too. And they said, don't you dare! She said you gotta do it. Good advice.

I said nothing. So, well, you would have. I mean, he was doing a movie in China at the time. In China movie, we had a very unstable schedule and kept him from doing dancing for no reason. They weren't even using him. But anyway. And the reason that I thought dancing is because we'd see Mad Hot Ballroom and it was just so magical. I just knew that this ballroom

dancing thing was going to catch on. And of course, the agents thought that was, you know, was huge sellout. Anyway, so celebrity rehab. So I asked my agent friend to pitch Eric, and they pretty much jumped. At first they were like, well, he's off most everything. And we were like, yeah, and he's older. You already was older, those few years ago. They were looking at 22-year-olds who were very, very famous in shooting smack

or whatever. And then I talk to them. They, you know, I set up a conference. And I said, you know, you have this insidious drug that people start using for anxiety, which ends up creating more anxiety. Because what happens is your anxious, your antisocial, you use pod, takes off the edge.

It also makes you feel like, ah, fuck it, I don't do anything. Then the anxiety about everything you didn't do starts to build, and it becomes this vicious circle. It also becomes such a horrible dependency that then what you end up with is a person with such a short fuse who cannot regulate in any way, shape, or form. It also, there is also such things cannabis and juice

dementia. So, you know, this has a long shelf life. You know, cocaine or shelf life you know cocaine or something you either die or quit after 10 years. But you can be on marijuana for 50 years. And the next thing you know your mind is a weed garden basically. So it's it's a bad drug and I thought they should get that out there. And to her show I hate pop. Right so they bit and he was scared and the family. My kids were okay with it. I mean, they would love to just know. Nobody was really okay with it. Well, they watched the show and then everybody thought he heard something. And then, and then, you know, he also realized, same with music videos, this gives him a fresh audience.

And then the amazing thing was when the producers came down to the hotel cafe, because it was right near their office, to talk to me and keep them on stage, and they're like, there's our music for the show. And then came the big drama of them asking, keep's show up and play and Eric and Keaton hadn't seen each other for half of Keaton's life 15 years because of old drug behavior and Eric's part that made things crazy. So I thought, well, I started to make up an excuse why Keaton would have to come play on the show on a day that Eric wasn't there, but Eric was always there because he was in rehab.

And then I thought, wait, these are a bunch of psychiatrists and therapists. And this is about, you know, a broken family and broken people. Maybe I'll tell them the truth. So I did. And they're like, wow, Eric is now our favorite. Right before we came to talk to you, by the way, we were with with Dr. Drew doing his job. So powerful anyway I mean I mean the show so then um Keaton um you know we asked Keaton if he was willing to do this and to meet with Drew and Eric so um and that was not set up and Keaton said I love Dr. Drew I'm sick of seeing Eric like at an airport and kind of being afraid to run into him or seeing him driving.

This is a man I really loved who I was really felt connected with. I have to get over this. It's now become, it's not a power position. I feel, it's toxic. And he said, as long as there's not any weird setup and we just genuinely, and thus, it happened. And we are so glad that he did that.

And that went against all conventional wisdom. Yeah, sure. This is where I was hoping to go Eliza. I just want to interject one thing, guys. What happened here was, I've only watched one season of I just want to interject one thing guys. What happened here was I remember, I've only watched one season of that show happened to be that season. And I watched it in Eric, I mean this too.

I watch it because Eric Roberts is on here. And I remember thinking to myself, this isn't good for his brand. That's what I thought initially, watching you on the show, right? And I think the story here everybody is huge. There's so many lessons in today's show, but with this was for Eric, and I know it was at your encouragement to utilize it, so I wanted everyone to hear this. This was Eric being really vulnerable, okay?

Really, really vulnerable. And on the other side of your vulnerability are most of the great gifts you're going to receive in your life. If you play everything in your life close to the best, if you don't take risks, if you're not willing to be vulnerable with your emotions and expose who you really are to Eric's point earlier in the interview, you're going to cheat yourself out of the greatest dreams and moments of your life. And ironically, this show during that time, that big risk, that vulnerability led to this reconciliation of sorts, right?

And also kind of a, and the career was already going well, but almost an uptick or research and so new market ability for Eric and his career, right? On the other side of this. Absolutely, it really did. What was weird about it is that the supermarket, all these kids are seeing, there he is mom, and I never got recognized by kids before. It's all old new demo. Yeah, yeah. It was more than that, even.

It was that for sure, but we even, when the agency was saying to us, oh my God, no one will see him for, or consider him for anything. You're on a casting director. So I called my friends, and I didn't say it was Eric. I'm sure they knew. They saw it right through it.

I said, hey, if there was somebody pretty respected, you know, award nominee, lot of cred as an artist, and they went and did read, so everybody read it. Almost every single person, not only did they say, I'd still see them. They were like, they'd say, I'm sober, or my husband's sober, I'm an see them. They were like they'd say, I'm sober or my husband's sober. I'm an Allenon. They they said our doors will be double wide open. Yeah, there was no one who said it was a bad idea.

And then as you said, the industry was just like, thank you. Well, you discover when you expose yourself that a lot of addicts out there, a lot of public soul addicts out there. And we're not unusual. And I was glad to understand what I had been doing wrong because quite frankly, you make such excuses for yourself for so long that you don't understand what's wrong. You just don't get it. What's wrong? What could possibly wrong? And I'm not hurting anybody.

What, but you know. What a remarkable conversation we're having you guys. I think this lesson, everyone, I just wanna apply this for everyone and I got one more huge question. I'm loving this just so you know. The reason I'm loving it is I know certain shows. I can, I know my audience and I know the impact

this is having on them because it's a different conversation that we typically always have here, but it leads to the same point. A lot of you that are out there that are chasing a dream are going to have all the people in your circle who do love you, give you advice they should give you. Don't take that risk. Don't be vulnerable. Don't expose yourself. Don't share our secrets.

Don't put your financial life on the line to go do this And that's all really great advice except you'll just never know what you were capable of You'll never know what's on the other side of it and people ask me which one I do on my social media Eric said you know what you're gonna find out when you let people know that you've got this issue of addiction You're gonna fight. There's a lot of other people. Well, guess what? Same with your other issues guys. Same with your fears. Same with your dreams. Same addiction, you're gonna find there's a lot of other people. Well, guess what, same with your other issues, guys. Same with your fears, same with your dreams, same with if you're not in a relationship

and you wanting to find one, when you're willing to share that publicly through the social media things that we all have access to now, you're gonna find out that your audience grows, that you don't lose people by being vulnerable and sharing your secrets and risks. People become connected with you. They root for you.

They become fans of yours. These are lessons for entrepreneurs, social media, actors, entertainers. Anybody trying to chase a best version of their life. So I love you guys. Like this to be like a 900 hour conversation, but what I'd like to have is, the thing I love about you is,

I think you're like an example of life. Like it's not all beautiful and perfect. Let's just be real guys. Most people, especially in your industry, it's mainly bullshit what they put out there, right? It's this image. We're a perfect couple. We never have any problems.

Everybody's my best friend. You know, it's all giggles and bubble gum and rainbows. And yet what you've done, you know, I must say is really made a dream come true. Erick since you were a young boy, and Eliza with your family background too. It's like you've both chased a dream and like caught it with all the ups and downs,

the warrants, the setbacks, the things we're ashamed of. You've made dreams come true. And I just think it's remarkable the way that you tell the story as well. But I'd like you to give advice both of you, the last thing. Millie, if you're listening to this show or you're watching it, you got a dream. You want to make a dream come true. Maybe it's being actor and entertainer start a business

Influenced people inspire them people listen to the show guys. They they want to do something for real with their lives and The thing you did today is they think well because I've had this divorce or because I was a drug addict or I hurt this person I had another failure. I had a setback that dis disqualifies me. My mess, this is what people think. My mess disqualifies me from making my dreams come true. And what you're evidence of is your mess does not disqualify you. In fact, your mess qualifies you to make a dream come true. But I'm curious from both of you, what advice would you give to somebody at any age listening to this? This is, I got a dream I want to chase. I don't want an average ordinary life.

I don't want a perfect life. I don't want it to all be smooth. But I do want at the end of my life to think no pun intended. Like I maxed out my life. I chased my dream. What would your advice be, both of you, to those people? Any guidance, any advice, any thoughts? I think if you're not afraid to fall down because you know you're going to get right back up, not a big deal. So to fall down is not to falter. It's just to have to get back up. And it's not a thought process. It's just what happens. And that's why I've had many people say to me, even

I was a little boy, I got you're so brave. And I realized I am. But it's not being brave like I can do this. It's it's it's it's being it's being not scared of falling down because I know how to get back up. It sounds so exemplified, but it's so, and when you add that to kindness, which I learned from my third parent and my lover, when you learn kindness in that mix. It makes all bad days okay. Wow, that's beautiful. Do you really wanna try to beat that Eliza? No, that's where I learned it, come.

Yeah, but you said it in a really nice way. I'm not, I don't wanna try to beat it, so I'll just join it. I would say if you have a dream, the first thing to do is assess your reasons, because your journey's gonna have your signature all over it. So there are some dreams that we have definitely

that the conclusion of them are to land instead of on our feet, on our butt, because that's our pattern. So you've got to kind of look and be sure you're actually taking care of yourself. Trying to get some of your stuff out of the way and one way to do that is I really do recommend do it sober. When in doubt give, like being there for other people, especially if it's a total stranger.

I have a very good friend, his 13 year old who's going through depression, they happen to be very financialist successful. So, and it was come in Christmas time, and I said take him to Toys R Us, remember Toys R Us when there used to be stores, and go on a in Christmas time and I said take him to Toys R Us, remember Toys R Us when they're used to be stores, and go on a shopping spree for other kids, pick where you're going to take the stuff after, and just let him fill basket after basket, and they do that every year now.

And that lifted him. So, it also helps us stay clean in a way. Because that's such an instant and obvious result when you can help others. That it derails you from any compulsion that you might be doing that's self-destructive. I also think that when it comes to those dreams, really, it's very hard to picture life being short until you're a lot older, but it is and your dreams are absolutely, they're absolutely yours. If there's voices in your head, shaming you for those dreams that are not your own voice, definitely eliminate those. And now you can do so much yourself. If you're an actor and you have a dream to do that, you literally create a profile and act as access, start

submitting yourself, you know, go to your phone and your friends, make little movies, put them out there, promote them in all the fun ways you can, just do it. And what's great about the laptop these days is you don't have to send an audition to your happy with it. Oh my god you can look at it and decide at home it's so cool the freedom we get now it's so great. But it's definitely there's there's no question about pursuing dreams there's never there should be nothing that stops you. This was so good. I had no idea where we were going today either because there's so much I could talk to you guys about.

I just wanna thank you. Like, I feel like I've made two really good new friends that I'm gonna know for a while. Yeah, I feel that way, you feel the way. I do. I kinda know how you felt that way immediately. I did. I'm glad that we talked about real stuff

because we're dying to do that. And to create a forum for that is so, look at what is it, is it Jada Pinkett who's doing red table talks, whatever we need this. We all meet and it can't be left just up to the women. That's, you know, you guys need to be part of this too. I thought this whole new thing whole new thing this Whole wave now other women's movement is so cool because

We have left it up for a long time of being thoughtless prick So choose the pun. Yeah Great to have a woman's input in every level now where they feel they have the right to have input. It's like, may I ask a question? No, I have something to say. And it's awesome, dude. It is awesome.

It's great. Because they were our mothers for better and no worse, but we admire women because that's their status as our model. I mean, that's if everything's healthy, that's the ultimate status. And so to like have them as our bosses again, I'm all for it. I'm all for it. I'm so glad that we decided to do this together today. What we call like this is remarkable. I can't just so y'all know, I know when we're doing one,

I know when the feedback's gonna explode and it's gonna explode on today's show. Last thing, just so I make sure they can find you. I mean, obviously you said early or something about Eric's website where you guys, is that the primary place you'd have people go? Is it your YouTube channel, Eliza? Where would they go?

He has a YouTube channel, Aliza? Where would they go? I'll still have, he has a YouTube channel. Mostly, we, most of the YouTube things are actually on Keaton's channel, so that it's Keaton's diamonds. We'll put it up on here, okay? But he's, Erickson Instagram, so am I, and we're both on Twitter, and he's also on Facebook,

and his personal filled up, but he has a fan page that we really run. That's really us. By the way, if you ever have an airline change or an airplane issue or anything, if you go on Twitter, they will fix it. Yeah. Is it all everybody?

It's actually true. The Instagram are the main places. We'll put them all in the show notes. And we'll put up on the screen. So Eric and Eliza, thank you for today. It was a beautiful experience. Thank you. We can't wait to continue communicating with you. We're gonna do that. I'm gonna come see you guys and I get back to Southern County. Everybody in the audience remember this. Speaking of Instagram, follow me there, shared this show with everybody best show in the world, life changing show.

I mean, on Instagram every day, I run the max out two-minute drill. I post at 730 Pacific, 1030 Eastern AM. When I do that, you got two minutes. You make a comment, if you're notifications on, you're in a drawing every day. If you miss the first two minutes, comment on every post I make five days a week and comment on other people's comments. Reply to them, increase your chance to win tickets to see me speak, get my book, max out gear, fly on the jet with me, all kinds of cool stuff. Sometimes you-

I'm flying the jet. Look, we told you. I'm taking you, Eric, you guys are going to come with me from Southern Cal, up to Cordon Lane, and you're going to come up and see this beautiful place like we talked about. So, look at this. I'm at you. I'm at you.

I'm at you. All right, God bless everybody, Max out.