TikTok is experiencing something of a reaction image renaissance lately thanks to memes like Cursed Plankton and Pepe the King Prawn.

Now, a photo of actress Emma Roberts smiling is being used as a relatable meme format on TikTok as users share their most awkward moments over it, typically including the Selena Gomez song "A Year Without Rain" to top it all off.

But where does the meme come from and how did it get so big? Here's what you need to know about the "Emma Roberts Smile" meme.

What Is The 'Emma Roberts Smile' Meme?

In March 2023, the Dazed TikTok account posted a short interview with actress Emma Roberts at the Valentino AW23 fashion show. In the interview, they ask Roberts what her guilty pleasure is and she says it's The Real Housewives, then smiles while looking into the camera.

The video flew largely under the radar until December 2024 when a screenshot for it suddenly became a meme format.

The earliest known meme to use the image was posted by TikToker @lizvolsn on December 7th and features the caption "me trying to act ok after the ball just hit my head in p.e" over Roberts' smile. It gained over 2 million views in about a week, sparking a meme trend on the platform.

How Is 'Emma Roberts Smiling' Used In Memes?

The meme became increasingly popularized throughout December under the original sound for Selena Gomez & The Scene's song "A Year Without Rain." Essentially, Emma Roberts' smile is being attached to captions sharing awkward moments and anecdotes about the user's life.

One of the most viral examples reads, "me after saying a chronically online joke but nobody gets the reference so now I just look insane." Another reads, "When I demand to go through his phone & he hands it over with no hesitation then asks to see mine."

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For the full history of Emma Roberts Smiling, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.