Julia Roberts has never seen niece in American Horror Story

Julia Roberts has never seen her niece in hit U.S. TV show American Horror Story, because she's too chicken to watch the scary show.

Emma Roberts reveals her Oscar-winning aunt has never seen Ryan Murphy's drama - and she doesn't blame her for not watching.

"She’s too scared,” Emma tells Entertainment Tonight. "I’m basically too scared to watch it even.

"When you’re shooting it, it’s not scary and then... they add in all the effects and cut it together. I mean, I sometimes watch it with my eyes closed. I don’t blame her (for not watching)."

The actress admits she's often amazed by the out-there scripts as writers keep coming up with weird and wacky ways to terrify viewers, now the show is in its eighth season.

"I mean, it just gets crazier and crazier," she chuckles. "We were getting the scripts and we were all like, 'Really?'"

Emma wrapped up the latest season last week (ends26Oct18) and although she's sworn to secrecy about the plot, she has warned fans to expect a lot of gore.

"Get ready for a crazy, crazy finale, which we just finished shooting last week," she says. (There's ) lots of blood."

Meanwhile, Emma has walked away from new Netflix ice skating drama Spinning Out due to a scheduling conflict with another project.

Netflix bosses tell Deadline they are moving forward with the series and recasting Roberts' role.

Sources tell the outlet Lily Collins is in negotiations for the lead.

Roberts was set to play a former competitive figure skater forced to pair up with with a bad boy partner following an injury that derails her solo career.