Sure, her dad is Eric Roberts (“Heroes”) and her aunt is Julia Roberts, but after June 15, most people are going to think of the teen detective Nancy Drew when they see 16-year-old Emma Roberts. She’s already famous with the Nickelodeon crowd, having starred in “Unfabulous.” And just like other young actresses, she’s got a pop album. In talking with Roberts, we discussed the club scene, her family of actors and, of course, the famous Nancy Drew. Bayer: How do you feel about approaching icon status? From now on, there’s going to be a group that thinks of the character Nancy Drew and sees your face. Roberts: I think it’s really cool. I always wanted to bring someone to life on the big screen. So I think this was perfect. (Nancy Drew) has been brought to the screen before but not recently. Nancy Drew is becoming big again; I see a lot of girls reading the books.

Bayer: The first time you saw yourself on the poster at the bus stop, how weird was it? Roberts: Really weird, because I was driving and looked over and thought, “That’s really awkward.” My friend Camille called me and said she almost crashed her car when she saw me on the side of the bus.

Bayer: And now when you see it? Roberts: I’m so used to seeing it, I’ve seen it like a bajillion times, so I’ll glad my hair’s not that color, otherwise people (would notice me more). There’s some book covers with pictures from the movie and there’s one book cover that has something weird with my leg. I wonder if they used someone else’s leg because there’s no kneecap. I was so embarrassed.

Bayer: How many “Nancy Drew” books did you read before filming started? Roberts: Not many, I’m sorry to say. Two.

Bayer: Any since filming is done? Roberts: I just skimmed through a bunch of them to get an idea. … The first few are kind of the same, just a different mystery. It’s funny, because they’re pretty old-fashioned.

Bayer: When you read them do you picture yourself as Nancy? Roberts: No. When I picture Harry Potter I picture the actors from “Harry Potter.” But with this, I picture this girl from the back and you can’t see her face; it’s too weird to think of myself (as her).

Bayer: There are going to be some die-hard “Nancy Drew” fans. What do you say to them if they say Nancy Drew shouldn’t be set in present day? Roberts: Well, if they see the movie, they’ll be pleasantly surprised, because even though it takes place in present day, it’s the same Nancy Drew that was in the books. It would have been weird if we set her in the ’40s. Kids can relate themselves to it more. The only thing about Nancy that is updated is she has more resources to go to, like the Internet and a cell phone.

Bayer: At 16 are you already thinking about living on your own? Roberts: Kind of, it’s not for two years though. I’ll still be a senior when I am 18, so I don’t like to think about when or where, but eventually. Now I’m living with my mom, step-dad and sister.

Bayer: With actors in your family, was it discouraging or encouraging becoming an actress? Roberts: It wasn’t either/or; I wanted to be one since I was 6. My mom said that was too young, which is true. I waited a couple years, and she let me do it when I was 9. So I started auditioning and my whole family and friends have been supportive.

Bayer: Did you watch “Heroes?” Roberts: OK, I watched “Heroes” in the beginning, but my TiVo broke, and I couldn’t keep up with anything but “Lost” and “America’s Next Top Model,” so I missed all of (my dad, Eric Roberts’,) episodes. I feel really bad about it. Whenever it was on, people would call me and ask if that’s my dad on “Heroes.” And they’d be like, “Oh my god, he’s so cool; he’s totally kicking butt.”

Bayer: So when you hear that, can you actually think your dad is cool? Roberts: I caught a few minutes of him on the show, and he was really good. I think it’s cool and he’s done movies, but I haven’t seen many of them because they’re like mature, you know? So it was cool that he did something that I’ll be able to watch.

Bayer: What’s the most fun you’ve had at a celebrity event? Roberts: I always have so much fun at the “Kid’s Choice Awards” each year, because everyone goes to those. You meet new people and it’s kind of a reunion. Everyone you know in the business you see there. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” part-two premiere was really cool. It was at Disneyland.

Bayer: Do you have a role model? Roberts: I always get stumped on this question. I had to write an essay about a role model for school and I couldn’t think of one. There is no one I look at and think, “I want to be you,” you know what I mean? I admire and respect my mom and I have a really cool tutor named Lisa and my manager. But nobody I want to be like, I just want to be myself.

Bayer: You’re on the verge of being the age when an actress who is in the limelight hits the clubs. How are you going to handle that? Roberts: I think a lot of people think it’s the fault of the business. But it’s really the kind of person you are. If you’re the type of person who is going to go out and do stuff like that, it doesn’t matter if you’re an actress, you’d be doing it anyway. You just wouldn’t be photographed doing it. I like to hang out with my friends on the weekend. I have no interest in going to clubs. If there is an event that I am invited to I’ll go, but I’m not just interested in going. We’ll have get-togethers with friends and that’s more fun.

Bayer: How’s home schooling? Roberts: It’s all right. It’s OK. I don’t love it. I’m really behind in school because I’ll be at home doing work and suddenly it’s like, oh iChat, oh iTunes, oh Internet. You get really distracted. I procrastinate on essays and then they pile up.

Bayer: Any plans to return to a school? Roberts: I wanted to this year and next year, but I also wanted to be able to leave. I guess the thing now in school is they grade you on a participation grade, so the school I was going to said I couldn’t come back unless I was going to commit to school. I think for senior year I’m going to go to school, just take a year off and finish high school and then go to college.

Bayer: “Wild Child” is your next project right? Filming hasn’t started yet has it? Roberts: Later in June. It’s my first real trip to England (where filming takes place) in a couple weeks. I want to go to Disneyland Paris.

Quick Questions

# Breakfast this morning? Eggs Benedict # Favorite fruit? Raspberries # Last album? Avril Lavigne # Late-night food craving? Chocolate # Favorite recent movie? I want to see “Knocked Up” # Favorite place? New York City # Book you wish you’d written? “Gossip Girl” # Weakness? I love buying clothes # Favorite sports team? The Cubs # Who would you be for 24 hours? A princess of something # Something you can’t wait to do? Go to Disneyland Paris # Last vacation? Family vacation to the East Coast – my mom took away my phone the whole trip # Superpower? Read people’s minds # Favorite drink? Coca-cola # Age of first kiss? 14 # Favorite charity? Children’s Cancer Research Fund