Famecrawler
Erin Brockovich Blames Her Inability To Handle Post-Movie Fame For Her Daughter’s Drug Problem
Most of us have seen Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich, the true life tale of a down on her luck single mother rising to the top by uncovering a systematic cover-up of industrial poisoning. While Julia won an Oscar, the real life Erin struggled with balancing fame and family to disastrous results.
Erin used her new recognition to further her cause and was gone from her daughter Elizabeth for long periods of time shortly after the movie was first released. During that time, Elizabeth started taking drugs and was hooked on cocaine and prescription pills by the age of 14. “When the movie came out, Mum was gone all the time, either on appearances or interviews or lecturing. That was my time to go crazy. I would ditch school, I was driving around with kids who were under the influence. I hid it all because my mum is Erin Brockovich.”
Erin blames herself and her work schedule for her daughter’s problems. “Do I blame myself? I think about that all the time. I think it hit her when the movie came out and I was gone for about 18 days. She was able to con the nanny and get away with stuff that she would not have got away with otherwise. I try not to beat myself up but I would be lying if I told you I didn’t feel guilty, that I didn’t cry, that I didn’t blame myself.”
Thankfully, Elizabeth has been through rehab and has rebuilt her relationship with her mother so there is a happy ending. Someone should offer a class called How To Handle Fame 101. I’m sure Erin (and Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, etc. etc. etc) would be thankful.
Christopher Rogers 
Shana Aborn 
Joanna Mazewski 
Sunny Chanel 
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