Emma Roberts In Julia's Footsteps

With a hit television show, a string of movies and a new album under her belt, Julia Roberts' niece, 14-year-old Emma Roberts, already has a career most show business veterans would envy.

In the second season of her popular Nickelodeon sitcom "Unfabulous," Emma's character is having a tough time finding her first job.

"She's not very outgoing," Emma tells The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm. "She has a hard time. But she gets through it."

Emma plays Addie Singer, a seventh-grader who writes songs and records her own music, but is rather shy. And though Emma is outgoing and has been home-schooled the past two years because of the demands of her career, she says she can relate to her character.

"Before that I went to school and I know what she's going through," she says. "It's cool because she plays guitar and writes songs and sings about her feelings."

In real life, Emma plays the guitar and writes songs. Her soundtrack, "Unfabulous and More: Emma Roberts," was released Sept. 27.

"I didn't really want to do it," she says, referring to playing the guitar after her mother made the decision that Emma needed to take classes. "I'm still taking lessons now because I have to get better."

As for writing songs, she says, "I co-wrote one of the songs. I just kind of write whenever I feel like it. But I didn't co-write the theme song."

Emma and Addie also share a love for clothes. Addie has to sell sandwiches at school to make up for the money she borrowed to go shopping. At home, Emma says her mother lets her get everything she wants, but if she gets messy, she makes her pick up her clothes, saying she will throw them away if she doesn't pick them up.

Overall, Emma says her character is happy where she is at, and she can certainly relate to that.

"It's been great," she says about playing the part. "I just have so much fun and the cast and crew are great. I have a great time doing it."

Since she was 5 years old she wanted to be an actress. Part of it perhaps came from being on movie sets with her famous aunt. But, she adds, "I just love movies and love to watch TV. It's really cool to be a part of that."

Next for her is starring as Nancy Drew in "Nancy Drew: The Mystery in Hollywood Hills," expected to be released in 2007.

"I'm real excited about that. I really wanted to do that," she says. "I haven't read the books yet. I'm reading a book about the people who created her right now, which is really interesting."

Her film, "Aquamarine" is in post-production. "I just spent three months in Australia. It's about these two girls who find a mermaid. I'm one of the girls. It was so much fun to do, and I am so excited because it comes out next April."

Other films she has been in are:

• "Bras and Broomsticks," 2006
  
• "Camp Couture," 2006
  
• "Spymate," character: Amelia, 2003
  
• "Grand Champion," character: Sister, 2002
  
• "Blow," character, Young Kristina Jung, 2001
  
• "BigLove," character: Delilah, 2001