Nepotism in Hollywood: Are these actors talented or just famous parents? | tv and show

Taking a break from Hollywood is almost like playing the lottery. However, the same is not true for everyone, since for years nepotism has prevailed in the entertainment industry.

The debate is constant, is it talent or good connections? Does he deserve a role or is he just there because he is “son of”?, a question that many actresses and actors starting their career in the Mecca of cinema and entertainment know. .

A reality that’s not only happening now, but has a long history in Hollywood with professionals you’d never imagine having a relationship that almost matches their DNA, like Liza Minelliwho is the daughter of Judy Garland, the protagonist of “The Wizard of Oz”.

However, the debate is open, in particular with the “nepo baby” or “babies of nepotism”, a term which is used to designate those who are children of personalities in the film industry and who have played a relevant role in it.

Nepotism in Hollywood?

Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of actress Janet Leigh, known for having starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho, and actor Tony Curtis, a gallant who worked with Marilyn Monroe.

His career started in his youth, when he was in college auditioning for Halloween and after many tests.

Jamie was happy, but in an interview with the new yorker admit its reality. “I’m sure the fact that I was the daughter of Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, and my mother had been in ‘Psycho,’ meant that if you had to choose between this and that, choose the one with her mother.” Psycho,” he says.

“I will never pretend that I had it all by myself, like I was some little girl out of nowhere grabbing it. Obviously I had an advantage,” he added.

So Curtis admitted she was very clear about her advantage as the daughter of one of Hollywood’s best-known actresses, which gave her a unique platform for a 40-plus-year career. during which his talent was recognized with awards such as the Golden Globes, Bafta and Emmy and SAG Award nominations.

His statement reveals not only that nepotism exists in Hollywood, but also that it is much older than we think.

Although in recent times it has taken a more public turn, since coincidentally a large part of the successes of cinema, television and streaming are made by “sons of”, returning to raise the debate on nepotism in Hollywood .

The “babies of nepotism”

One of the clearest examples of the “Nepo Babys” is the actress Maude Apatowwho plays Lexi in the series Euphoriawhich became the second most-watched on HBO, following in the footsteps of Game of Thrones.

In a cast made up of great Hollywood personalities like Zendaya, Eric Dane, some who started their careers like Sydney Sweeney or Jacob Elordi and even an actor discovered on the streets (Angus Cloud), Apatow stands out, given his connections to Hollywood.

The actress is the daughter of Leslie Mann and director Judd Apatow and since she was little she has roamed her parents’ recording sets, showing off a career that began in 2007, when she was 10 .

Her family is the main reason why she was named the quintessential “Nepo Baby” last year, although her work was not particularly questioned, rather the fact that very few people knew of her parentage.

Although she’s clear it’s the product of nepotism in Hollywood, pointing to the role she got in “Staten Island,” a film directed by her father.

“Obviously I’ve been in a lot of my parents’ movies and people will say that’s nepotism. I mean, that’s not even an insult, well, it’s an insult, but it’s is it,” Maude said in an interview with Yahoo! .

But she’s not the only one. Lily Collins, the protagonist of the Emily in Paris series, is the daughter of musician Phil Collins and has also spoken on the subject. In her case, she points out that being “daughter of” was not an advantage.

“When I first met the agents, they asked me, ‘Well, what makes you so special? Everybody in LA is somebody’s cousin or somebody’s daughter. “, he told Marie Claire in 2014.

“In the beginning, that was the most interesting thing about me. Now that I’ve done eight films, it’s an afterthought. There are kids who say to me, ‘Oh, I love your movie, but my mom loves your dad. It’s really nice to be able to share that with him, but it doesn’t define who I am career-wise.”

critics first

In a survey of BuzzFeed, Jack Quaidthe son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid, was listed as a “baby nepotism” with 64% of the preferences.

This, because the actor famous for his role as Hughie Campbell in The Boys is implicated because of his parents, two of the most famous actors in the industry.

Margaret Qualleydaughter of popular actress Andie MacDowel and former model Paul Qualley, surprised by her role as Pussycat in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in… Holywood”.

His work was even praised by his director, who pointed out: “His scenes were so good that at no time could they be cut during editing”, he said. the country.

And it is that the film not only had Margaret in its ranks, but also other “nepo baby” such as Maya Hawkhija by Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke; Rumer Willis, the firstborn of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis; Already Harley Quinn SmithKevin Smith’s son.

Qualley managed to reaffirm her talent by starring in Maid (Things to clean), a Netflix series in which she was able to show all her acting ability and for which she obtained nominations at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards. .

Another actress who consistently falls under the label of “baby nepotism” is Zoe Kravitz. The new Catwoman has had a solid career in Hollywood for years as an actress and model. However, he is questioned because of his famous parents, Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz.

In interview with IDENTIFIERthe actress confessed, “I can’t deny it, there are things that were easier thanks to my parents, but they made me work harder.”

Not only in action there is nepotism

In 2021, Ben Stiller raised the debate on the subject in connection with the news of the short film he was making Destry Spielbergthe daughter of director Steven Spielberg, who worked in collaboration with Hopper Penn, son of Sean Penn and screenwriter Owen King, son of Stephen King.

It all started when Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List, a website that aims to connect screenwriters with filmmakers, posted the news stating “Hollywood is a meritocracy, right?”.

Hollywood is a meritocracy, isn’t it? https://t.co/jELCVujYyB

—Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) July 28, 2021

Stiller responded to Leonard’s tweet noting “of course they’ve had challenges, different than those who don’t have access to the industry.

The Zoolander actor added, “Show business is tough and it’s ultimately a meritocracy.

His answer could have gone unnoticed if it hadn’t been for a small detail. Ben Stiller is also a “nepo baby”, as he is the son of comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.

But also because the debate between the executive and the actor revealed great pains in Hollywood, like the lack of diversity, which could be due to the nepotism that exists in the industry, where entertainment dynasties live on.

Ben welcomed the discussion and said she opened her mind to the reality of the industry, a reality they don’t often see clearly.

For his part, Destry Spielberg, underlined via his Twitter account that “people can discuss nepotism, but I know deep down that I have worked hard to get where I am and it was not easy”. However, he quickly deleted the post, but media such as Variety They were able to rescue him.

Ultimately, it shows that nepotism is a reality in Hollywood, for better or for worse.

Someone who often joked about her condition was Carrie Fisher, daughter of Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher. “I am a product of Hollywood nepotism. When two celebrities copulate, this is the result”, he once said. An example that many surely follow in the entertainment industry.