'Not a Criminal': Julia Roberts' Niece Defended by Fans As She Was Criticized for Smoking Outdoors

• Hollywood star Emma Roberts was recently seen out with her boyfriend.
• While outdoors, Julia Roberts' niece was spotted smoking a cigarette and was criticized by some for doing so.
• However, fans came to Emma's defense and chastised others for judging her.

Emma Roberts, 32, is a well-known, respected, and incredibly talented actress in Hollywood. Apart from her undeniable acting prowess, Emma is also popularly recognized as the niece of Tinseltown legend Julia Roberts, 56.

Naturally, as the niece of such a revered icon in showbusiness, frequent comparisons have been made between Emma and her aunt. The two have been said, by many, to closely resemble each other, not just based on both of their knacks for acting but in terms of their physical appearances.

The "Wild Child" star, whose past go-to perfume was "Alive" by Hugo Boss, even once joked about being her aunt's twin to a pop culture outlet years ago. Julia is Emma's aunt from her paternal side, meaning that the "Pretty Woman" is the sister of Emma's dad, Eric Roberts.

Though the relationship between Eric and Julia had been estranged for some time, stemming from family drama, they have repaired their bond. According to Eric, he had a big hand in Julia's road to stardom, citing that when she first went to New York, he went to William Morris (a talent agency) and asked which agent would sign Julia.

The actor, who believes common courtesy to be the most essential trait in humanity, also highlighted that though his sister has gone on to achieve noteworthy accolades and milestones, he was the first to receive Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. Of his belief that he was instrumental in not just Julia's career but his daughter's too, Eric stated:

"If it wasn't for me, there would be no Julia Roberts and no Emma Roberts as celebrities, as actresses, and I'm very proud of that..."

More than sharing a great relationship as relatives and sharing looks in common, Eric's daughter and his sister have also worked alongside the same actor. Earlier this year, Emma spoke about getting to work with Richard Gere, who has worked with her aunt in the past.

Gere and Julia were co-stars in "Pretty Woman" and "Runaway Bride," two movies of which Emma is particularly fond. Of starring alongside Gere, Emma divulged:

"Obviously, he's worked with my aunt, so to get to work with him felt like full circle."

It's no secret that Emma adores her aunt, marvels at her talents, and has sourced her as inspiration when dealing with the industry, citing childhood memories of her visiting Julia on set. However, she has undoubtedly made a name for herself away from her aunt's shadow:

"I never aspired to be her. I love her so much, I love her work, but I'm just doing my own thing."

Aside from her illustrious career in Hollywood, Emma is also a doting mom. In 2020, she became a first-time mom when she welcomed her son, Rhodes, with Garrett Hedlund, though the parents are no longer together.

Emma Roberts Was Recently Spotted Out, and Fans Criticized Her for Smoking a Cigarette

This past Saturday, Emma was spotted out in New York City with her current beau, Cody John. According to a source, the two enjoyed a dinner before strolling along the busy streets of Manhattan's West Village.

The "Holidate" talent adorned a swanky black leather jacket that had furry trimming on the collar, blue jeans, and a black purse. John opted for a suede jacket, black pants, and sneakers.

At some point during their evening, Emma took a smoke break and lit a cigarette outside. When people saw the blonde beauty taking drags from her cigarette, many expressed their disgust at the habit:

"Smoking? Gross!"

However, many others came to Emma's defense and chastised haters for their negative critique. One fan directly responded to a user who had made a nasty comment and said:

"...she's an adult—don't judge."

More of the mama bear's supporters continued to point out the ridiculousness of so many people choosing to focus on Emma's smoking habits. Another fan asserted:

"But smoking outdoors is still not a criminal activity..."

In addition to uplifting and defending Emma by responding to the hateful comments, other fans urged the haters to stop badgering Emma and simply allow her to live her life in whatever way she sees fit.