Erin Brockovichwas a single mom of three when she exposed a water contamination cover-up in 1993 and won a historical $333 million settlement against the power company Pacific Gas & Electric.
The paralegal-turned-environmental activist welcomed her two elder children, son Matt and daughter Katie, in the mid-'80s with her first husband Shawn Brown, followed by her youngest child, daughter Elizabeth, with her second husband Steven Brockovich. She was also married to Eric Ellis from 1998 to 2012.
In 2000, the eponymous movie that told her story, starringJulia Roberts, was released to critical acclaim, immediately thrusting Brockovich's family into the spotlight.
"The movie had a much bigger impact on me than I ever thought," she recalled during a 2013 interview for theOprah Winfrey Network. "There was such hype when the movie came out, and it hit so fast ... Everything was swirling around me and I could see that it was affecting my children."
"I could see my kids going wild because we never had any money, and suddenly, we had money and could do things," Brockovich continued, admitting that she was "so busy being Erin Brockovich," that she lost sight of "Erin the mom."
Matt, Katie and Elizabethstruggled with their mom's overnight successand the sudden change in their lifestyle as well.
"I was just a little girl that had never dealt with anything like this," Brockovich's youngest child, Elizabeth, explained in the 2021 ABC primetime specialThe Real Rebel: The Erin Brockovich Story."So when my mom's movie came out, it was just, she was gone a lot, more than normal."
Brockovich added that her time in the spotlight took "a big toll" on her family. "I didn't see them as often. I think it was tough on them," she said of her three children, who are now have children of their own.
Here's everything to know about Erin Brockovich's children: Matt, Katie and Elizabeth.
Matt Brown
Brockovich welcomed her only son, Matt Brown, in the mid-'80s with her first husband, Shawn, whom she married in 1982.
By 1987, the couple's marriage had ended, and they went their separate ways. Matt has largely kept out of the public eye and not much is known about him, but he did serve in the military for several years and was deployed in Afghanistan.
In July 2012, Brockovich celebrated her son's return to the U.S. onFacebook, posting a photo of all three of her kids with Matt in uniform. "Celebrating my son's return home from Afghanistan. Wishing you all a happy 4th and God Bless Our Families, Our Troops, and America," she wrote in the caption.
During a 2020 interview withThe Gentlewoman, Brockovich shared a rare anecdote about Matt, revealing his reaction to his mom's overnight success following the release of the eponymous movie.
"With my kids, after the movie came out and I got that bonus and I was able to buy a house, due to my guilt I overindulged them a lot," she recalled. "And my son said something to me one day, 'We never wanted this stuff, Mom, we just wanted to be with you.' "
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Matt is now a parent himself, having welcomed his son, Charles Asher — Brockovich's first grandson — in September 2015.
Katie Roedersheimer
Brockovich and Shawn then welcomed their second child together, daughter Katie Roedersheimer.
She is an activist in her own right and has held positions at Clean Water Action, Amnesty International and TURN (The Utility Reform Network), according to herLinkedIn. In her bio, Katie describes herself as a "savvy" and "hardworking" entrepreneur, who approaches all aspects of life — both business and personal — with integrity.
Like Matt, Katie is also very private and prefers to stay out of the spotlight. However, she has shared a few rare glimpses into her family life on X. In October 2021, she shared a since-deleted throwback photo of her brother and uncle from their time in the military. "My uncle and brother. So proud of my family!" she captioned the post. "Proud sister, niece, and daughter."
Erin rarely discusses her children publicly, but she's candid about the values she instilled in all her kids and grandkids, including what she calls stick-to-itiveness. "It boils down to looking at yourself and believing in who you are and that you can [do it]," she explained during a 2020 interview withGlamour.
She added of teaching her kids this concept: "It's something that you just keep instilling in them, and that's what my parents did. I don't think they thought I ever got it, and frankly I didn't, until I had my own children. I kind of see that process with my kids as they are adults now. They know it now, the stick-to-itiveness, and it gets stronger in them."
Elizabeth Brockovich
After splitting from Shawn, Brockovich married Steven in 1989. The couple had one child together, daughter Elizabeth Brockovich, before they divorced in 1990.
Elizabeth was just 9 years old when her mom's biopic was released, and she has been candid about the challenges that came with her mom's sudden rise to fame. "It was TV appearances, red carpet appearances, interviews, cameras ... phones ringing off the hook," Elizabeth recalled during a sit-down interview with her mom for the 2021 ABC specialThe Real Rebel: The Erin Brockovich Story. "It was really a whirlwind for a 9-year-old little girl."
When Elizabeth was a teenager, she began "hanging out with the wrong crowd" and developed a drug addiction by age 16, which she went public with during a 2009 segment ofGood Morning America.
"When the movie came out, she was gone all the time — either on appearances or interviews or lecturing," a then 17-year-old Elizabeth told ABC's John Quiñones. "That was my time to go crazy, 'cause she wasn't there. I would ditch school; I was driving around with kids that were under the influence."
She added, "I hid it all because my mom is Erin Brockovich." With her mom's support, Elizabeth sought treatment and got sober. She went on to serve two years in the army beginning in 2010.
Elizabeth is now a mom of three, with two daughters and a son. "She's really just taught me ... you fall down, you get back up," she said of her mom.
In June 2021, Brockovich dedicated atouching tributeto her youngest child on Instagram, commending Elizabeth for her resilience.
"I am SO proud of my daughter and her little ones (my adorable little grand kids). Though the road /journey felt and was difficult at times, hope, positivity, faith, persistence and love paved the path forward. 🙏❤️💪," the proud mom captioned a photo of Elizabeth with her kids.
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Erin Brockovichwas a single mom of three when she exposed a water contamination cover-up in 1993 and won a historical $3...
