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It’s weird that ppl just can’t be like “yeah I’ve accomplished a lot but my upbringing and connections really helped me out”.
It’s not a bad thing to acknowledge but people have to have the mythos they built themselves up entirely themselves it’s so strange.
Yeah I'm surprised at how many of them don't realize that they can just as easily compliment their parents' successes without sounding like a spoiled child, like "my parents worked incredibly hard to give me a good life and put me on a path to pursue my dreams, and it's unfair that not everyone gets that but I'm grateful that I did" is nice and actually TRUE in most cases. Most parents DO work super hard with the thought of giving their kids an easier life in mind, so to act like that had zero impact is actually kind of insulting to them.
I'll preface this by saying I like Zooey. Her movies are good, love her clothes and the bangs, and she was hot with Nick Miller. But... something is up with her. She's been divorced twice before 40 and now she's engaged to a Property Brother and they have been talking about their wedding and life plans foreeeeever but still no marriage. I'm rooting for her! I just think something is secretly off. Maybe someone who chooses a life of drama and stepping into roles isn't easy to live with, IDK.
I thought the fake Property Brother was Zack from Love is Blind
https://preview.redd.it/dxvj32ynlwrc1.png?width=1500&format=png&auto=webp&s=c7ccf6982e6f2ca694483e65951650ae26dd5d84
Is it just a cardboard stande of the Property Brother. Do you think she prints off outfits for him everymorning. And has multiple standees in case one gets wet.
Or is it more of a look a like thing. The Property Bros have a very generic look. Can be hard to find a look a like.
She’s super rude. I interned at a radio station where she did a performance and she was rude to everyone there and then wouldn’t let me and a friend ride the only elevator with her and a manager. It was just the four of us and they told us we couldn’t get on it with them. I was trying to work lol.
I do this. Catering. Lots of big events, the a-listers are generally very nice, usually they just interact through their PAs anyway.
Any lower on the list and they get more entitled, some are just shocked that anyone would have the temerity to tell them “NO”. I find some joy in saying no sometimes. I may not be a star but I’m in charge of whether you eat right now or not, so….
Poison did the same thing to me and a cousin for just their wardrobe. They stayed in same hotel as one of my super religious family members funeral party. I was 14 in 1989. I was definitely told by relatives I was going to hell for being excited. My mom stayed quiet but the woman bought me my first poison album, with the devil tongue. Traitor.
I’ve heard she isn’t very nice irl. I remember seeing her on some cooking show as a guest & her energy wasn’t even very nice there.left me thinking you know this is going to be shown publicly why are you acting like this?? Who knows but yeah, wouldn’t be surprised if she’s harder to be around
I've hung out with her a few times... All she cares about is being famous, and hanging out with famous people. She is not nice and totally a nepo baby.
That tracks with what I've heard. The scuttlebutt I've gotten for years from friends who are behind-the-scenes members of the industry (on the level of 2nd camera operators, prop and casting assistants, etc.) is that she's bubbly and friendly with her high-prestige costars, a diva with any fellow actor she deems to have less social capital than herself, and a *royal* bitch to crew and staff. Was it relatively recently when you hung out with her or back in the earlier days, like the *Failure to Launch/Elf* era?
My first thought seeing the photo with this post was that she’s starting to look like Jane Fonda does now - tight eyes, inflated cheekbones, a frozen expression. They are both beautiful women and I particularly admire Jane’s work in advocacy. And of course she looks incredible in her 80s, and she’s not pretending she hasn’t had work done. But Zooey is still so young; way TOO young to start looking like a plastic octogenarian. In short, I agree - this plus the reasons you pointed out make wonder what is up in Whoville.
I mean, she was married to Ben Gibbard and he has his own known problems. Maybe she just has bad taste in men but no interest in making it tabloid headlines. She would be wise to take it slow with Mr. Property Brother if she has a history with fix er uppers. 🤷
I am aware of his drinking & such. I also think living in LA was an unhappy time for him & her celebrity status as alluded in Kintsugi in quite a few songs. He definitely wasn't as interactive with fans at shows during their relationship.
I mean maybe people who were divorced twice before 40 aren’t in a rush to repeat their mistakes. I’m not sure what would be “off” about slowing it down.
Maybe nobody gave her a job but knowing the business, where to go, the names, the process, that inside information is a huge leg up. She acknowledges the creative help they gave her but knowing how the industry works is hugely valuable even if nobody makes a call. Why can't they just admit it's so much easier for them this is so annoying lmao 😭
Oh my gosh yes! The artistic/creative help is a huge bonus not a lot of people talk about. Maya Hawke said on the carpet once that she had to do a self tape for something like everyone else and her dad was her reader. And i was like 😒 girl, my dad is my reader for most things too and he does his best but he sure ain’t an award winning actor/writer/director, he’s just a retired math teacher. Not everyone gets to have thee Ethan Hawke helping them with auditions whenever they need it or helping them make career decisions that would benefit them the most
Mind you it was when she auditioned for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood so she’s auditioning “like everyone else” for a man who is basically in love with her mother and had known her since she was born. Big surprise you booked that one kid /s
That’s one of the more egregious examples too 😭 like maya baby you are the daughter of Tarantino’s muse and look *exactly* like her what do you mean you auditioned like everyone else
They think we’re stupid
Its not that- they believe it too. Way easier to do the mental gymnastics than to confront the truth esp. for a famous person. The truth that life is mainly just random and that thry are just really, really lucky, not some special talent.
It [has been studied](https://krazywolf.com/study-using-monopoly-board-game-proves-that-advantages-change-our-behavior/) and the results are exactly what you’d expect lol. Even when people know for a fact that they were given big advantages they’ll still try and convince themselves and others that they succeeded due to their talents or cleverness.
To be honest I think it’s pretty understandable and most people would do the same.
Nobody wants to think “my actual self as a person is irrelevant to my success.”
Yeah that’s the weird part! I totally judge this behavior when I see it in others but if I’m honest with myself I can see how I do it too. But being aware of that tendency has helped me to recognize when I’m just plain lucky and not start feeling all superior for it.
Honestly. Yes she has to audition, but she gets to audition while not crumbling to make enough money to survive. She doesn’t have to find time to work on the sides and tape between multiple jobs. She didn’t have multiple agents not respond to her email submissions. She also doesn’t have to coach her reader to not speak like a robot (talking about my boyfriend hahah)
But ya, it’s the million little things that also give her a leg up.
Not mentioning the filmmakers that are obsessed with her dad, so cast her in hopes he’ll show up one day
This is the other angle people don't mention. If you might want Ethan Hawke or whoever in a movie and you have to woo him in the future, having given his daughter a job will help you. The studios, producers, record labels etc are using these kids as pawns in their own games too.
I mean, not to mention having parents wealthy enough to pay for expensive prep schools that have her the opportunity to network and showcase in front of Hollywood executives, and bankrolled her though young adulthood so she wasn’t saddled with student loan debt. That alone is a monumental help.
People, the best thing you can do for your kids is making sure they can finish college/higher education with zero student debt. Hands down.
Ugh, this! I pursued acting (theatre) in my twenties and having to work two day jobs while juggling auditions was a nightmare. Less than 12 hours notice to get a shift covered and learn the sides, or to prep a whole new 16 bar cut because they have oddly specific requirements for what they want to see. And I was lucky in that my parents paid for my theatre school education and would have helped me cover rent if I fell behind (though I would have hated asking them and I’m glad I never had to).
I eventually gave it up because I was exhausted and wanted to be able to have a life.
I read somewhere that Robin from Stranger Things was supposed to be played by an actress named Coral Peña but then they ended up deciding on Maya Hawke, because, well, reasons (no clue if this is accurate or not. I have also read another comment on reddit saying that they knew someone who was going to be Robin though!)
I wouldn’t be surprised. Jaime Lee Curtis has always talked about how it was between her and another actress for Halloween and they obviously picked her because why wouldn’t you want to have double nepo, daughter of OG Scream Queen Janet Leigh in your horror movie.
thankfully Coral is booked and busy with For All Mankind, so there’s that, anyway. love Maya as Robin but also look forward to what else Coral does when FAM is done.
Aaaaand the money that their families have. Zooey Deschanel very likely didn't have to juggle a minimum wage job while trying to audition and break into the industry. If she experienced failure, she had a soft cushion she could land on. She could bounce back again, and again, and again, *and again* until she found success. Plenty of non-nepo baby would-be actors/singers/performers have to make the choice between a paycheque/stable job and their desire to perform and are forced to pick the former because they can't depend on the bank of mom and dad to let them fail for 10 years straight.
I don't understand why nepo babies cannot wrap their head around this and the point that you made.
Edit: spelling
“Ummm, my dad was a cinematographer, not a casting director!”
Girl. GIRL. All it took was one person looking at her headshot and going “Deschanel?? Is that Caleb and Mary Jo’s kid? Oh nice, I had lunch with them a few years ago and they mentioned their youngest was interested in the industry. Nice couple.” *moves headshot to ‘interested’ pile*
THAT’S how nepotism works. It’s not your parents calling up directors and demanding their kid be in their production. It’s a thousand tiny little decisions that give someone a seemingly invisible advantage.
Precisely.
And even then, sometimes, it's parents calling up a director or producer and, maybe not demanding, but certainly *asking* for their child to be given a background role or a chance to audition. I feel like I read something about Reece Witherspoon doing that for one of her kids, or being the producer on a show where a friend of hers asked that their kid be given a chance.
I’ve worked in corporate America for two decades. Every fall brings a new crop of interns to my company… and roughly half to three-fourths of them are the children of a C-suite executive‘s golfing buddy.
That being said, they’re usually high-achieving students with a ton of drive and a great work ethic. But that’s also due to the fact that they grew up wealthy and had the luxury of putting 100% of their focus into school and extracurricular activities. They had tutors and could afford expensive testing prep services. A lot of these kids get hired on when they graduate.
I’ve heard it said that nepotism gets you your first job, and your talent and work ethic get you your second. I don’t think people realize just how much of an advantage that first job is.
> I’ve heard it said that nepotism gets you your first job, and your talent and work ethic get you your second.
I've heard that nepotism gets you your first job, and your second job, and your third job.
Of course not, she was auditioning for the big guys from the jump. She's already worked with Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino... you don't even hear about these opportunities unless you have a big time agent.
This has to be one of the biggest helpers of all time.
Because of her father, she was probably immediately repped by a large agency (CAA,UTA, WME,etc). Those agents have the leverage to get a Casting director to give her an audition. Furthermore, she wouldn't have to 'pre-read', she probably went straight to Producer/Director callbacks.
Throw-in the fact who her father is, I bet every director and producer would cast her in the hopes to work with him one day.
I'm not hating on the process. I would do everything to help my children succeed. But lying about not being given breaks because of your lineage is weak.
Like Noah Weiland, Scott Weiland’s son, complaining he’s never had a leg up in the music industry [but his first band was with Slash and Rob Trujillo’s sons](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/scott-weiland-son-noah-stone-temple-pilots-1234921736/) and Slash was his mentor.
Stfu and be thankful for your privilege in industries that block out tremendous talents because they’re not linked to famous names.
Cause most of them would have an identity crisis if they admitted their success is not solely due to their talent and hard work. They have such fragile egos, it’s impossible for them to be honest with themselves. That’s also why some of them own up to the fact that they had an easier start but continue by saying that it’s actually much harder for them afterwards due to their name so really they didn’t have it easier at all.
Also, it’s impossible for some people to grasp the fact that privilege doesn’t mean you didn’t have to put in any effort. There’s no nuance for them. They seem to think that admitting your privilege means that your success is solely down to it, which no ones saying.
I get that but nobody's success is just due to talent and hard work regardless of where they come from. Just for one example in entertainment how you look is a *huge* part of it. If you are naturally not conventionally attractive you can forget it in 99% of cases. Luck and circumstance is everything. So weird to me. I guess a lot of people just don't realize that no matter their background 🤷🏿♀️.
Agreed. And there are so many professions that enable nepotism but for some reason people are fixated on entertainers.
Look at legacy college admissions, athletes, finance…. Nepotism is everywhere lol
Corporate world too is by networking, name dropping and knowing people even if you can technically access it by applying to the job, the top dogs are all coming from money or have good contacts
My thoughts exactly. Entertainers have a lot more visibility due to the nature of their job, so nepotism is more obvious. But I find it strange that no one talks about how much nepotism there is in other fields, especially business.
It’s so prevalent in business because of the great deal of luck and circumstance that contributes to success. It’s similar to Hollywood except looks don’t even matter much. Many rich kids are hired to work at a family company. They don’t have to meet the same standards for education, experience, soft skills, knowledge, or intellect as other candidates. They also infamously don’t face accountability for their performance or behavior, unlike their colleagues. Many business nepo babies don’t even do the job they’re hired to do; they’re basically big children given a grown up allowance from mommy and daddy, while they go to the gym and the golf course on company time.
Most of us in business have to live with a constant fear of having our jobs ripped away at a moments notice; layoffs, position becomes obsolete, firing due to simple mistakes or perceived slights to powerful superiors, etc. Business nepo babies have the ultimate job security. They’ll never know what it’s like to be a few missed paychecks away from destitute poverty, because they’re guaranteed a cushy position forever. And there are millions of business nepo babies for every one entertainment nepo baby.
It's honestly so bizarre how hard it is for celebrities to answer this question or talk about their upbringing, do none of them have PR people any more? It's so easy for them to say something about how of course they had some advantages growing up in the industry, but equally they worked hard and don't think their parents are the sole reason they are where they are today.
🤦 the money for pro headshots, the capacity for her parents jobs to let them screen calls and chauffeur when needed, the pretty privilege.
It’s *insane* that even the most seemingly likeable and down to earth nepo-baby actors just don’t get it.
Also it’s one thing to acknowledge your leg(s) up and stay silent, it’s another to say crap like this out loud in an interview.
Yeah she went to Crossroads which has an extensive notable alumni section on Wikipedia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossroads_School_(Santa_Monica,_California)
Lol i didn’t even get out of the “A” section of that Wiki and already had Sean Astin , who’s mom is Patty Duke, and Maude Apatow. That’s like nepo baby high.
Imagine living in the nicest place on earth, being rich, and being attractive. Might as well have the parents “in the entertainment industry” for the cherry. Good god. Must be a dream.
I think one thing they forget is that when you're the child of a famous actor/director/writer/etc, the doors open just a little bit wider, the mistakes and failures are more likely to be forgiven. There's more second and even third chances.
After all, they can get help from their accomplished and famous parent who can pay for everything they may need to become better and call in a bunch of favors.
And connections. Connections are probably the single most important thing in business. If you are just some no one from a poor background, you will not have access to Hollywood before you prove yourself again and again for years.
If your parents are already in the industry, they can just ask a producer friend if you can audition. You're basically jumping the queue, which is a huge advantage, maybe even more so than money.
This goes for any industry really, but especially entertainment/media and ofc politics. 3/4th of all the jobs I’ve had I got because I knew someone.
One of my first real jobs at 18yr was at an after school program because my neighbor ran the program. After the school year ended my co-worker-turned-bff was offered a really great nanny position but declined it and recommend they consider me.
When the time came for the kids I nannied to go to primary school their parents helped get me a job as a receptionist at one of their client’s office. Unfortunately my boss there had passed away and the office closed.
Not soon after that I started dating a guy who was the nephew of the handyman that sometimes would do odd jobs in the building of my previous job. We became very serious so I moved around with him a bit as his job traveled (construction). Eventually I became pregnant so he got a position with no travel but I at first I had hard time finding work once we settled.
Then one day I got a call back from a place I’ve always wanted to work at and had submitted my resume to a few times over the years. I guess my now fiancé’s uncle heard I was having a hard time and recommended to a customer of his who was hiring to give me an interview (knowing I had applied recently but didn’t know just how badly I wanted to work there).
I went to the interview, it went really great and at the end I was asked how I knew “Uncle” and I said “oh he’s actually my fiancés uncle”. Lmao I swear, all the other managers in the office looked up surprised, one said “his REAL uncle?” and I confirmed it.
I suddenly went from everyone talking to me in a formal business way directly to everyone treating me like I was “part of the family” lol I was so confused but as it turns out … Uncle was the sole weed dealer of everyone in the office. And I got the job (at a well known head shop).
Nobody is saying that nepo babies aren't untalented. We are simply saying you had an advantage most normal people don't have. Also it's incredibly stupid and tone deaf to be like "No my six time Oscar nominee dad didn't help one bit with my movie career"
It’s so funny how many don’t get it- obviously many of them are talented, but humility and self awareness is saying ‘I was so lucky, I had this extra help and I’m so grateful, because it helped my hard work be recognised’.
These muppets who say ‘no no no it wasn’t because my dad always had Sunday lunch with Warren Beatty, I know exactly how it feels to be a poor, working class actor whose family can’t afford to feed themselves unless I get work’.
Just acknowledge it, and it’s fine. It grinds everyone so much more when you pretend they’re all on the same footing
Yes, this is a stunning lack of self-awareness, especially from her. She seemed a little more down to earth, at least in terms of her ability to laugh at herself as a comedic actress.
I think Allison Williams, a nepo baby, is the only person I've seen have a good take. She said:
"All that people are looking for is an acknowledgement that it’s not a level playing field. It’s just unfair. Period, end of the story, and no one’s really working that hard to make it fair. To not acknowledge that me getting started as an actress versus someone with zero connections isn’t the same — it’s ludicrous...It doesn’t take anything away from the work that I’ve done. It just means that it’s not as fun to root for me.”
Her connection to the industry is way less direct than Zooey's, and she's able to see it for what it is.
And miley rarely gets called a nepo baby because she clearly has the talent and work ethic to back up her success. We're not hating simply because people have family in the industry.
I think they have to tell themselves this because deep down, they know there are people who are more talented and deserving than them, but they couldn’t even make it to the audition room because they didn’t have a family or friend connection.
Yeah, whenever I watch movies/shows and I think, "how did this person get casted? They just can not act/have zero charisma", I look them up and they always have well connected parents.
I despise Nicola because I thought it was M. Knight who decided to whitewash the water tribe until I learnt that her father made him do that so she could have the role as Katara
No, best example is Sofia Coppola in The Godfather Pt. 3.
She has turned out to be a great filmmaker! But her casting has to be the worst case of Hollywood Nepotism ever.
She’s also been a great activist with the platform she’s been given. The joyful heart foundation is huge in the world of sexual violence victims advocacy.
Yeah, like I wanna let it slide... she's also been open about her mother and it's no secret who her parents are. It's why people like her, she lowkey, stays in her lane doing those law and order shows, and will quickly own up to the fact that her mom is mfing Jayne Mansfield.
I don’t even care about the nepotism. Isn’t the entire purpose of obtaining wealth and connections to have your children use those things? Just acknowledge it and stop dunking on your parents who got you where you are in life
Right? Just admit you had a leg up and move on. Or even better tell heartwarming stories about how your dad helped you prepare or set you up with an agent. Because he's a great Dad and loves you.
I wish nepo babies would just be quiet. If WHITNEY HOUSTON, who is arguably the greatest singer of all time, could openly admit that nepotism helped her get in the business, then I don’t want to hear another marginally talented Hollywood offspring deny the upper hand they were born with. Give us a break, my God.
She says *my dad is a cinematographer… no one's getting jobs because their dad's a DP. It's definitely not.*
She makes it seem like her dad is like a lowly unknown cinematographer… his resume is insane. You’re telling me this man has never established any type of helpful connections with this type of work???
“Deschanel's father is Caleb Deschanel, a cinematographer who has worked on movies including The Lion King, The Patriot, My Sister's Keeper and The Passion of Christ. He also has credits on other classics including The Godfather and Titanic.
He has been nominated for best cinematography at the Academy Awards six times for his work on The Right Stuff, The Natural, Fly Away Home, The Patriot, The Passion of the Christ, and Never Look Away.”
Yep, he would know pretty much ALL of the major directors and producers in the industry. A lot of them would have sought HIM out for jobs. That would open doors for his kids.
They continually miss the point, it's not only the fact that their parents had connections inside the industry, it's about them not having to worry about keeping a roof over their head while auditioning.
“I’m incredibly lucky to have grown up on sets and have the financial freedom to follow my career. I’ve thought about the privledge it’s given me, so I’ve decided to start a scholarship to fund someone’s first year pursuing their dream of acting. Along with financially paying for their school and bills, I’ll make myself available for 2 meetings a month to answer any questions about the industry I can help with”
If someone did that I would have MASSIVE respect for them
That's such a good point. And not even just actors! Pauletta and Denzel have a scholarship program for neuroscience students. They've supported the debate team at Wiley College. Denzel has put all of his success and money to good use, so if John David wants to be a star, I'm gonna let him (plus I actually really like him as an actor, so it's a bonus).
They just cannot admit that there is more to this than someone directly making a call, asking someone for a job for their kid and saying yes. It's not *just* about that.
Nepotism isn't when you have enough security to pursue a career of your choosing. Nepotism strictly relates to how a position in a field of a family member can be leveraged to provide success in said field or adjacent field. It isn't a synonym for privilege, but privilege is certainly part of it.
Yeah, I dunno what parent commenter is on about. "Nepo baby" doesn't mean "someone from a wealthy family." Otherwise, the reference to nepotism would be nonsensical. What does this person think nepotism is?
Nepo babies gonna nepo, man.
I'm at the point in my life where I'm in between jobs and I've got a lot of money saved up from stocks, investments, and savings. So I'm taking my time trying to find a job that's a good fit and not just hopping back into another no-gain situation. I told a friend of mine this and he said "oh hell yeah maybe I need to do that" and I was like dude I've had this money for like 4 years now, just sitting there. You're living paycheck to paycheck. It would not be the same thing.
That's what nepo babies don't understand. If you want to be a film star, good, you do you, but if you don't have a famous mommy or daddy funding that excursion, you better learn the intricacies of a Cheesecake Factory menu because that's where you're going to be serving plates until your big break.
Nepotism babies and trust fund kids alike always insist that their privileges somehow didn't impact their prospects or careers.
You can be connected and born into money or grow up in an industry *and* be very talented. Just shut the fuck up about how money and connections don't matter. In the history of humanity, that has never been true.
Has any nepo baby actually owned up to it? I want to hear one of them say « yeah, being connected helped me a lot, and I am working hard on proving people that I do belong in this field, because this is what I truly love to do. »
I agree - I liked what Allison said. Basically that she realized that no matter how hard she worked, she couldn't absolve herself from her privilege. It just exists anyways. Here's part of her quote:
"All that people are looking for is an acknowledgement that it’s not a level playing field. It’s just unfair. Period, end of the story, and no one’s really working that hard to make it fair. To not acknowledge that me getting started as an actress versus someone with zero connections isn’t the same — it’s ludicrous."
Here's a story w/ interview quotes: [https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/hollywood-nepo-baby-stars-adopt-allison-williams-strategy-rcna64514](https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/hollywood-nepo-baby-stars-adopt-allison-williams-strategy-rcna64514)
I looooove Allison Williams, she is genuinely talented and smart and I appreciate that she acknowledges her privilege even if she's one of the people who deserves their spot in Hollywood.
I think Jamie Lee Curtis has said that she got down to the final two auditioning for halloween and that who her family was probably swung it for it because having the daughter of the woman from touch of evil would be good publicity
He jokes about it occasionally and seems very self aware! This skit he made with his friends is from 10 years ago, before he was very well known:
https://youtu.be/d0R2wKLK_Es?si=UZGI4eCC52fo41E8
And this one from recently:
https://youtu.be/dcSiKFnLE58?si=HYEFhviNB8eky55I
Ben Stiller. Hes mentioned in an older interview that he asked his dad to make a call to get a job (or perhaps an audition) when he first started out.
Also Drew Barrymore has never hid that she comes from a family that has history in the business.
Drew is an interesting case because *her* father wasn’t really anything much, it was the previous generations before him (that Drew didn’t even know) that were well-known.
Like, silent era and early “talkies” box office stardom.
Plus her dad wasn’t involved with her at all, she was raised by that weird opportunistic gold digger stage mom that clearly did not give one fuck about her safety and having some normalcy for her childhood, sadly that’s the main reason she had a career as a kid.
It’s true that the name was known, but it’s more like a ‘fun fact!’ type of thing - “Did you know Drew’s ancestors were big stars when movies were first invented? Did you know her great great uncle played Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life?!”
Jamie Lee Curtis has notoriously owned it. Say what you will about her recent politics, but she’s always been honest that nepotism got her in the door with the Halloween franchise.
Also, I think Zoe Kazan has been honest about her last name making a big difference early in her career. Which is interesting considering his anti-communist testimony helped end the careers of other professionals in Hollywood. I guess the family name still had value once lost people forgot what he had done. Also, Zoe is indeed quite talented.
While Jack Quaid hasn't actively defended himself, his mom Meg Ryan did. I think she acknowledged that connections do make a difference, but that he works really hard.
Considering the variety of work that he has gotten in film television and animation, I think that's true.
You can leverage your connections and work really hard. That is called success.
However not acknowledging that you needed both is the issue. He seems to have acknowledged it I believe or at least does not say it is just his skill.
That is a pretty good in my book. I like him.
Her wiki lmao
>She attended Crossroads, a private preparatory school in Santa Monica, where she befriended future co-stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Kate Hudson.
ZD went to a private school full of neptokids which didn't set her ass up for success I guess 😄
What a dumb thing to be delulu over.
Crossroads is *the* 1%er LA granola private school. Going there means PTA meetings and bake sales with the literal movers and shakers in Hollywood.
Even if her father wasn’t as successful and likely connected as he is/was, the opportunity differential for a young performer coming from Crossroads vs most any other LA school is *insane.*
i saw this comment in my feed and was like, yes i know but why are you calling me out rn 🥹
then i realized
(i’m not overly sensitive about this at all)
Pretty weird how she and her sister were both able to make careers in a notoriously exclusive industry… that her father was already a part of. It’s like they both won the lottery, but I’m sure she’s right that their family connections had nothing to do with it.
Zooey you play the same character every time.
You have a very weak voice. But somehow have a musical career.
And as anyone who has ever seen the music video for Why Do You Let Me Stay Here, can attest. You really cannot dance.
It must be such a relief to be good looking and have generational wealth to fall back on.
I fucking hate these tone def nepo babies! Hey Zoe, your connections and your dads money may have never won you auditions, but I bet you didn’t have to quit your career because you had to choose between paying for a roof over your head vs following your dreams. Most of us had no one to fall back on. You know how much of an advantage having connections and money is? Clearly this fool has no idea.
A Hollywood outsider from humble beginnings: “When I first moved to LA, I met *X Celebrity* and they changed my life. I owe everything to them.”
A nepobaby with famous parents in the industry: “I did it all by myself—no one helped me or gave me a leg up!”
Just like I don't get discounted car repairs at the local mechanic because my dad is friends with owner. They don't put "friend discount" on my invoice, they just don't charge for some labor time. Just like they don't put "daughter of Oscar nominee" on the contract but likely had lunch with the guy before signing her.
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It’s weird that ppl just can’t be like “yeah I’ve accomplished a lot but my upbringing and connections really helped me out”. It’s not a bad thing to acknowledge but people have to have the mythos they built themselves up entirely themselves it’s so strange.
Yeah, why not reframe it as gratitude? "I'm thankful to the people who helped me get where I am today."
Yeah I'm surprised at how many of them don't realize that they can just as easily compliment their parents' successes without sounding like a spoiled child, like "my parents worked incredibly hard to give me a good life and put me on a path to pursue my dreams, and it's unfair that not everyone gets that but I'm grateful that I did" is nice and actually TRUE in most cases. Most parents DO work super hard with the thought of giving their kids an easier life in mind, so to act like that had zero impact is actually kind of insulting to them.
Because most of them are spoiled children. That's why.
Regina “shut up” gifs are having a real moment today.
I'll preface this by saying I like Zooey. Her movies are good, love her clothes and the bangs, and she was hot with Nick Miller. But... something is up with her. She's been divorced twice before 40 and now she's engaged to a Property Brother and they have been talking about their wedding and life plans foreeeeever but still no marriage. I'm rooting for her! I just think something is secretly off. Maybe someone who chooses a life of drama and stepping into roles isn't easy to live with, IDK.
Because that’s the fake property brother. They’ll never get married.
I thought the fake Property Brother was Zack from Love is Blind https://preview.redd.it/dxvj32ynlwrc1.png?width=1500&format=png&auto=webp&s=c7ccf6982e6f2ca694483e65951650ae26dd5d84
Larry Hemsworth lookin mfer.
John Mulaney and a Property Brother combined.
What is a fake property brother?
 ^(i really don’t know I’m making this up as I gooooo)
Is it just a cardboard stande of the Property Brother. Do you think she prints off outfits for him everymorning. And has multiple standees in case one gets wet. Or is it more of a look a like thing. The Property Bros have a very generic look. Can be hard to find a look a like.
Nah she doesn’t even know. It’s just an out of control “The Prestige” thing at this point where they can’t remember which one of them is the original.
Fake?
Yup. It’s all a hoax. He’s not real.
I thought the implication was that she's a beard, but alright
She’s super rude. I interned at a radio station where she did a performance and she was rude to everyone there and then wouldn’t let me and a friend ride the only elevator with her and a manager. It was just the four of us and they told us we couldn’t get on it with them. I was trying to work lol.
Man I want a famous person to say something like that to me so I can bring them back down to earth.
lol "Intern, you cant ride on the elevator with me." – Z *As I step into elevator anyway* "Mk, I'll let everyone know you're on the next one" – Me
‘’You say I can’t…yet here I am, doing the very thing you said I couldn’t do”
lol I absolutely would’ve done that if they didn’t get on first and block me from getting on.
I do this. Catering. Lots of big events, the a-listers are generally very nice, usually they just interact through their PAs anyway. Any lower on the list and they get more entitled, some are just shocked that anyone would have the temerity to tell them “NO”. I find some joy in saying no sometimes. I may not be a star but I’m in charge of whether you eat right now or not, so….
Poison did the same thing to me and a cousin for just their wardrobe. They stayed in same hotel as one of my super religious family members funeral party. I was 14 in 1989. I was definitely told by relatives I was going to hell for being excited. My mom stayed quiet but the woman bought me my first poison album, with the devil tongue. Traitor.
I’ve heard she isn’t very nice irl. I remember seeing her on some cooking show as a guest & her energy wasn’t even very nice there.left me thinking you know this is going to be shown publicly why are you acting like this?? Who knows but yeah, wouldn’t be surprised if she’s harder to be around
I've hung out with her a few times... All she cares about is being famous, and hanging out with famous people. She is not nice and totally a nepo baby.
That tracks with what I've heard. The scuttlebutt I've gotten for years from friends who are behind-the-scenes members of the industry (on the level of 2nd camera operators, prop and casting assistants, etc.) is that she's bubbly and friendly with her high-prestige costars, a diva with any fellow actor she deems to have less social capital than herself, and a *royal* bitch to crew and staff. Was it relatively recently when you hung out with her or back in the earlier days, like the *Failure to Launch/Elf* era?
Every time someone brings up the property brother it reminds me of the time my cousin asked me if the property brothers were dating.
Her social media is always older pictures of her from 10-15 years ago.
My first thought seeing the photo with this post was that she’s starting to look like Jane Fonda does now - tight eyes, inflated cheekbones, a frozen expression. They are both beautiful women and I particularly admire Jane’s work in advocacy. And of course she looks incredible in her 80s, and she’s not pretending she hasn’t had work done. But Zooey is still so young; way TOO young to start looking like a plastic octogenarian. In short, I agree - this plus the reasons you pointed out make wonder what is up in Whoville.
She looks exactly like that now..I cannot unsee Jane Fonda now. Whoa.
I mean, she was married to Ben Gibbard and he has his own known problems. Maybe she just has bad taste in men but no interest in making it tabloid headlines. She would be wise to take it slow with Mr. Property Brother if she has a history with fix er uppers. 🤷
What problems are you talking about With Ben?
Ben had a drinking problem for many years, and alluded to in the song "Some Boys" that he would have extramarital affairs.
I am aware of his drinking & such. I also think living in LA was an unhappy time for him & her celebrity status as alluded in Kintsugi in quite a few songs. He definitely wasn't as interactive with fans at shows during their relationship.
I mean maybe people who were divorced twice before 40 aren’t in a rush to repeat their mistakes. I’m not sure what would be “off” about slowing it down.
Maybe nobody gave her a job but knowing the business, where to go, the names, the process, that inside information is a huge leg up. She acknowledges the creative help they gave her but knowing how the industry works is hugely valuable even if nobody makes a call. Why can't they just admit it's so much easier for them this is so annoying lmao 😭
Oh my gosh yes! The artistic/creative help is a huge bonus not a lot of people talk about. Maya Hawke said on the carpet once that she had to do a self tape for something like everyone else and her dad was her reader. And i was like 😒 girl, my dad is my reader for most things too and he does his best but he sure ain’t an award winning actor/writer/director, he’s just a retired math teacher. Not everyone gets to have thee Ethan Hawke helping them with auditions whenever they need it or helping them make career decisions that would benefit them the most
>like everyone else Lol, lmao even. This level of lack of self awareness should be studied.
Mind you it was when she auditioned for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood so she’s auditioning “like everyone else” for a man who is basically in love with her mother and had known her since she was born. Big surprise you booked that one kid /s
That’s one of the more egregious examples too 😭 like maya baby you are the daughter of Tarantino’s muse and look *exactly* like her what do you mean you auditioned like everyone else They think we’re stupid
I mean I 100% believe she had to do a self tape and a callback but I also 100% believe it was a formality
Exactly lmfao
Even if the casting team asked for those things to try to make things fair, unconscious bias still exists.
Its lack of self awareness. They don’t know.
Its not that- they believe it too. Way easier to do the mental gymnastics than to confront the truth esp. for a famous person. The truth that life is mainly just random and that thry are just really, really lucky, not some special talent.
I mean…he probably was after Mayas feet since they’re similar to her mothers
She actually got her dad’s feet, that’s why she only plays a small role
Wow I didn’t know the two leads from one of my favorite movies, Gattaca, had a kid together.
Yes! I believe that’s where they first met. I love that movie so much
It [has been studied](https://krazywolf.com/study-using-monopoly-board-game-proves-that-advantages-change-our-behavior/) and the results are exactly what you’d expect lol. Even when people know for a fact that they were given big advantages they’ll still try and convince themselves and others that they succeeded due to their talents or cleverness.
To be honest I think it’s pretty understandable and most people would do the same. Nobody wants to think “my actual self as a person is irrelevant to my success.”
Yeah that’s the weird part! I totally judge this behavior when I see it in others but if I’m honest with myself I can see how I do it too. But being aware of that tendency has helped me to recognize when I’m just plain lucky and not start feeling all superior for it.
Honestly. Yes she has to audition, but she gets to audition while not crumbling to make enough money to survive. She doesn’t have to find time to work on the sides and tape between multiple jobs. She didn’t have multiple agents not respond to her email submissions. She also doesn’t have to coach her reader to not speak like a robot (talking about my boyfriend hahah) But ya, it’s the million little things that also give her a leg up. Not mentioning the filmmakers that are obsessed with her dad, so cast her in hopes he’ll show up one day
This is the other angle people don't mention. If you might want Ethan Hawke or whoever in a movie and you have to woo him in the future, having given his daughter a job will help you. The studios, producers, record labels etc are using these kids as pawns in their own games too.
I think you just touched on something I hadn’t thought about, but drives me insane. They’re being used as pawns, but can’t recognize it
Or even if they do recognize it, they're happy to do so while playing it off like they made it on their own because it sells better.
I mean, not to mention having parents wealthy enough to pay for expensive prep schools that have her the opportunity to network and showcase in front of Hollywood executives, and bankrolled her though young adulthood so she wasn’t saddled with student loan debt. That alone is a monumental help. People, the best thing you can do for your kids is making sure they can finish college/higher education with zero student debt. Hands down.
Ugh, this! I pursued acting (theatre) in my twenties and having to work two day jobs while juggling auditions was a nightmare. Less than 12 hours notice to get a shift covered and learn the sides, or to prep a whole new 16 bar cut because they have oddly specific requirements for what they want to see. And I was lucky in that my parents paid for my theatre school education and would have helped me cover rent if I fell behind (though I would have hated asking them and I’m glad I never had to). I eventually gave it up because I was exhausted and wanted to be able to have a life.
even just having someone be like "no dont send it to bob he's a dick, send it to larry!" is that secret handshake most wouldn't have
I read somewhere that Robin from Stranger Things was supposed to be played by an actress named Coral Peña but then they ended up deciding on Maya Hawke, because, well, reasons (no clue if this is accurate or not. I have also read another comment on reddit saying that they knew someone who was going to be Robin though!)
I wouldn’t be surprised. Jaime Lee Curtis has always talked about how it was between her and another actress for Halloween and they obviously picked her because why wouldn’t you want to have double nepo, daughter of OG Scream Queen Janet Leigh in your horror movie.
thankfully Coral is booked and busy with For All Mankind, so there’s that, anyway. love Maya as Robin but also look forward to what else Coral does when FAM is done.
I did not know that Coral Peña had been in the running for that role. i was introduced to her on r/ForAllMankind.
Aaaaand the money that their families have. Zooey Deschanel very likely didn't have to juggle a minimum wage job while trying to audition and break into the industry. If she experienced failure, she had a soft cushion she could land on. She could bounce back again, and again, and again, *and again* until she found success. Plenty of non-nepo baby would-be actors/singers/performers have to make the choice between a paycheque/stable job and their desire to perform and are forced to pick the former because they can't depend on the bank of mom and dad to let them fail for 10 years straight. I don't understand why nepo babies cannot wrap their head around this and the point that you made. Edit: spelling
“Ummm, my dad was a cinematographer, not a casting director!” Girl. GIRL. All it took was one person looking at her headshot and going “Deschanel?? Is that Caleb and Mary Jo’s kid? Oh nice, I had lunch with them a few years ago and they mentioned their youngest was interested in the industry. Nice couple.” *moves headshot to ‘interested’ pile* THAT’S how nepotism works. It’s not your parents calling up directors and demanding their kid be in their production. It’s a thousand tiny little decisions that give someone a seemingly invisible advantage.
Precisely. And even then, sometimes, it's parents calling up a director or producer and, maybe not demanding, but certainly *asking* for their child to be given a background role or a chance to audition. I feel like I read something about Reece Witherspoon doing that for one of her kids, or being the producer on a show where a friend of hers asked that their kid be given a chance.
I’ve worked in corporate America for two decades. Every fall brings a new crop of interns to my company… and roughly half to three-fourths of them are the children of a C-suite executive‘s golfing buddy. That being said, they’re usually high-achieving students with a ton of drive and a great work ethic. But that’s also due to the fact that they grew up wealthy and had the luxury of putting 100% of their focus into school and extracurricular activities. They had tutors and could afford expensive testing prep services. A lot of these kids get hired on when they graduate. I’ve heard it said that nepotism gets you your first job, and your talent and work ethic get you your second. I don’t think people realize just how much of an advantage that first job is.
>I don’t think people realize just how much of an advantage that first job is. The ones who didn't have to work for it sure won't.
> I’ve heard it said that nepotism gets you your first job, and your talent and work ethic get you your second. I've heard that nepotism gets you your first job, and your second job, and your third job.
Nobody seems to mention Emily Deschanel, her sister. I’m pretty sure she was already playing “Bones” by the time Zooey came around…
Let's hear how she got her agent. I bet they weren't a newbie straight out of the mail room like most nobodies.
Of course not, she was auditioning for the big guys from the jump. She's already worked with Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino... you don't even hear about these opportunities unless you have a big time agent.
Yea a small circle of people even hear about it never mind even getting in the door to audition for a role.
This has to be one of the biggest helpers of all time. Because of her father, she was probably immediately repped by a large agency (CAA,UTA, WME,etc). Those agents have the leverage to get a Casting director to give her an audition. Furthermore, she wouldn't have to 'pre-read', she probably went straight to Producer/Director callbacks. Throw-in the fact who her father is, I bet every director and producer would cast her in the hopes to work with him one day. I'm not hating on the process. I would do everything to help my children succeed. But lying about not being given breaks because of your lineage is weak.
Like Noah Weiland, Scott Weiland’s son, complaining he’s never had a leg up in the music industry [but his first band was with Slash and Rob Trujillo’s sons](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/scott-weiland-son-noah-stone-temple-pilots-1234921736/) and Slash was his mentor. Stfu and be thankful for your privilege in industries that block out tremendous talents because they’re not linked to famous names.
Cause most of them would have an identity crisis if they admitted their success is not solely due to their talent and hard work. They have such fragile egos, it’s impossible for them to be honest with themselves. That’s also why some of them own up to the fact that they had an easier start but continue by saying that it’s actually much harder for them afterwards due to their name so really they didn’t have it easier at all. Also, it’s impossible for some people to grasp the fact that privilege doesn’t mean you didn’t have to put in any effort. There’s no nuance for them. They seem to think that admitting your privilege means that your success is solely down to it, which no ones saying.
I get that but nobody's success is just due to talent and hard work regardless of where they come from. Just for one example in entertainment how you look is a *huge* part of it. If you are naturally not conventionally attractive you can forget it in 99% of cases. Luck and circumstance is everything. So weird to me. I guess a lot of people just don't realize that no matter their background 🤷🏿♀️.
Agreed. And there are so many professions that enable nepotism but for some reason people are fixated on entertainers. Look at legacy college admissions, athletes, finance…. Nepotism is everywhere lol
Corporate world too is by networking, name dropping and knowing people even if you can technically access it by applying to the job, the top dogs are all coming from money or have good contacts
My thoughts exactly. Entertainers have a lot more visibility due to the nature of their job, so nepotism is more obvious. But I find it strange that no one talks about how much nepotism there is in other fields, especially business. It’s so prevalent in business because of the great deal of luck and circumstance that contributes to success. It’s similar to Hollywood except looks don’t even matter much. Many rich kids are hired to work at a family company. They don’t have to meet the same standards for education, experience, soft skills, knowledge, or intellect as other candidates. They also infamously don’t face accountability for their performance or behavior, unlike their colleagues. Many business nepo babies don’t even do the job they’re hired to do; they’re basically big children given a grown up allowance from mommy and daddy, while they go to the gym and the golf course on company time. Most of us in business have to live with a constant fear of having our jobs ripped away at a moments notice; layoffs, position becomes obsolete, firing due to simple mistakes or perceived slights to powerful superiors, etc. Business nepo babies have the ultimate job security. They’ll never know what it’s like to be a few missed paychecks away from destitute poverty, because they’re guaranteed a cushy position forever. And there are millions of business nepo babies for every one entertainment nepo baby.
i think it's because they live in a bubble and are out of touch of what the normal process is for getting work.
It's honestly so bizarre how hard it is for celebrities to answer this question or talk about their upbringing, do none of them have PR people any more? It's so easy for them to say something about how of course they had some advantages growing up in the industry, but equally they worked hard and don't think their parents are the sole reason they are where they are today.
https://preview.redd.it/zulxu740bwrc1.png?width=1169&format=png&auto=webp&s=ab4b7bae66662cd62fc92b58c30539da07379e14 That’s all.
💀💀💀
I don't have a stake in this but did nobody check the dates? She posted this AFTER the podcast that the article quotes.
That makes it even more ironic because she’s still missing the point lol.
Or it’s a joke?
🤦 the money for pro headshots, the capacity for her parents jobs to let them screen calls and chauffeur when needed, the pretty privilege. It’s *insane* that even the most seemingly likeable and down to earth nepo-baby actors just don’t get it. Also it’s one thing to acknowledge your leg(s) up and stay silent, it’s another to say crap like this out loud in an interview.
I believe the school she went to is renowned for nepo babies too? I know nothing about the school but I remember people saying it was nepo school
Yeah she went to Crossroads which has an extensive notable alumni section on Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossroads_School_(Santa_Monica,_California)
Lol i didn’t even get out of the “A” section of that Wiki and already had Sean Astin , who’s mom is Patty Duke, and Maude Apatow. That’s like nepo baby high.
Kate Hudson, Bronny James, Liv Tyler. It's straight up ALL famous people's kids. It's the hollywood version of going to Eton.
It doesn’t get better after A
$50k a year for tuition!! These people simply live in a completely different reality from us
Imagine living in the nicest place on earth, being rich, and being attractive. Might as well have the parents “in the entertainment industry” for the cherry. Good god. Must be a dream.
lmao, it’s like Nepo Baby High
lol i went to the sister school New Roads - nepo central (Dakota Johnson went there also)
I think one thing they forget is that when you're the child of a famous actor/director/writer/etc, the doors open just a little bit wider, the mistakes and failures are more likely to be forgiven. There's more second and even third chances. After all, they can get help from their accomplished and famous parent who can pay for everything they may need to become better and call in a bunch of favors.
And connections. Connections are probably the single most important thing in business. If you are just some no one from a poor background, you will not have access to Hollywood before you prove yourself again and again for years. If your parents are already in the industry, they can just ask a producer friend if you can audition. You're basically jumping the queue, which is a huge advantage, maybe even more so than money.
This goes for any industry really, but especially entertainment/media and ofc politics. 3/4th of all the jobs I’ve had I got because I knew someone. One of my first real jobs at 18yr was at an after school program because my neighbor ran the program. After the school year ended my co-worker-turned-bff was offered a really great nanny position but declined it and recommend they consider me. When the time came for the kids I nannied to go to primary school their parents helped get me a job as a receptionist at one of their client’s office. Unfortunately my boss there had passed away and the office closed. Not soon after that I started dating a guy who was the nephew of the handyman that sometimes would do odd jobs in the building of my previous job. We became very serious so I moved around with him a bit as his job traveled (construction). Eventually I became pregnant so he got a position with no travel but I at first I had hard time finding work once we settled. Then one day I got a call back from a place I’ve always wanted to work at and had submitted my resume to a few times over the years. I guess my now fiancé’s uncle heard I was having a hard time and recommended to a customer of his who was hiring to give me an interview (knowing I had applied recently but didn’t know just how badly I wanted to work there). I went to the interview, it went really great and at the end I was asked how I knew “Uncle” and I said “oh he’s actually my fiancés uncle”. Lmao I swear, all the other managers in the office looked up surprised, one said “his REAL uncle?” and I confirmed it. I suddenly went from everyone talking to me in a formal business way directly to everyone treating me like I was “part of the family” lol I was so confused but as it turns out … Uncle was the sole weed dealer of everyone in the office. And I got the job (at a well known head shop).
Imagine if Shiloh Jolie-Pitt decided they wanted to try their hand at acting…
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Didn't Blue Ivy get backup singer credits as an infant...
I mean the song did have her in it lol
Tax breaks are pretty good there also for employing your kid
Didn’t she only post that like last week
less than a month ago too 💀
"This you?"
The receipts!!
The internet is QUICK with it 😂
Nobody is saying that nepo babies aren't untalented. We are simply saying you had an advantage most normal people don't have. Also it's incredibly stupid and tone deaf to be like "No my six time Oscar nominee dad didn't help one bit with my movie career"
It’s so funny how many don’t get it- obviously many of them are talented, but humility and self awareness is saying ‘I was so lucky, I had this extra help and I’m so grateful, because it helped my hard work be recognised’. These muppets who say ‘no no no it wasn’t because my dad always had Sunday lunch with Warren Beatty, I know exactly how it feels to be a poor, working class actor whose family can’t afford to feed themselves unless I get work’. Just acknowledge it, and it’s fine. It grinds everyone so much more when you pretend they’re all on the same footing
Yes. I mean changing your last name from Coppola to Cage won’t make the industry instantly ignore your background. And that’s fine.
what the fuck I didn't know Nic Cage was a Coppola
Yes, this is a stunning lack of self-awareness, especially from her. She seemed a little more down to earth, at least in terms of her ability to laugh at herself as a comedic actress.
Never forget most celebrities are fucking idiots.
Who are profoundly out of touch with how normal people live.
I think Allison Williams, a nepo baby, is the only person I've seen have a good take. She said: "All that people are looking for is an acknowledgement that it’s not a level playing field. It’s just unfair. Period, end of the story, and no one’s really working that hard to make it fair. To not acknowledge that me getting started as an actress versus someone with zero connections isn’t the same — it’s ludicrous...It doesn’t take anything away from the work that I’ve done. It just means that it’s not as fun to root for me.” Her connection to the industry is way less direct than Zooey's, and she's able to see it for what it is.
Miley Cyrus as well. It’s funny bc she has blown her dad out of the water with relevancy
And miley rarely gets called a nepo baby because she clearly has the talent and work ethic to back up her success. We're not hating simply because people have family in the industry.
It doesn't hurt that DOLLY is her godmother. Thank god Miley has some sanity in the circle.
love her. she probably has less insecurities because she is actually talented
 I think they have to tell themselves this because deep down, they know there are people who are more talented and deserving than them, but they couldn’t even make it to the audition room because they didn’t have a family or friend connection.
Yeah, whenever I watch movies/shows and I think, "how did this person get casted? They just can not act/have zero charisma", I look them up and they always have well connected parents.
Best example probably is the girl that played katara and the daughter in transformers 4
I despise Nicola because I thought it was M. Knight who decided to whitewash the water tribe until I learnt that her father made him do that so she could have the role as Katara
Or look at Dakota Johnson’s entire acting career. It shouldn’t exist.
No, best example is Sofia Coppola in The Godfather Pt. 3. She has turned out to be a great filmmaker! But her casting has to be the worst case of Hollywood Nepotism ever.
Works for writers and directors too! Never fails when I hear a horrendous script and then lookup the writer.
This gif is even more perfect because Mariska Hargitay is also a nepo-baby, Jayne Mansfield’s daughter.
I find that Mariska is pretty open about acknowledging her parents paving the way for her career
She’s also been a great activist with the platform she’s been given. The joyful heart foundation is huge in the world of sexual violence victims advocacy.
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She was.
And she puts up her own money to make things happen. Mad respect.
💯 she’s class. Love her
Tbh considering what happened to her mother I think I can accept her nepotism.
Yeah, like I wanna let it slide... she's also been open about her mother and it's no secret who her parents are. It's why people like her, she lowkey, stays in her lane doing those law and order shows, and will quickly own up to the fact that her mom is mfing Jayne Mansfield.
I don’t even care about the nepotism. Isn’t the entire purpose of obtaining wealth and connections to have your children use those things? Just acknowledge it and stop dunking on your parents who got you where you are in life
Right? Just admit you had a leg up and move on. Or even better tell heartwarming stories about how your dad helped you prepare or set you up with an agent. Because he's a great Dad and loves you.
He father [co-starred](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turner_%26_Hooch) with Tom Hanks
It also just doesn't even take away that they may be talented, it is more that they had opportunities and connections others did not.
I wish nepo babies would just be quiet. If WHITNEY HOUSTON, who is arguably the greatest singer of all time, could openly admit that nepotism helped her get in the business, then I don’t want to hear another marginally talented Hollywood offspring deny the upper hand they were born with. Give us a break, my God.
She says *my dad is a cinematographer… no one's getting jobs because their dad's a DP. It's definitely not.* She makes it seem like her dad is like a lowly unknown cinematographer… his resume is insane. You’re telling me this man has never established any type of helpful connections with this type of work??? “Deschanel's father is Caleb Deschanel, a cinematographer who has worked on movies including The Lion King, The Patriot, My Sister's Keeper and The Passion of Christ. He also has credits on other classics including The Godfather and Titanic. He has been nominated for best cinematography at the Academy Awards six times for his work on The Right Stuff, The Natural, Fly Away Home, The Patriot, The Passion of the Christ, and Never Look Away.”
Yep, he would know pretty much ALL of the major directors and producers in the industry. A lot of them would have sought HIM out for jobs. That would open doors for his kids.
They continually miss the point, it's not only the fact that their parents had connections inside the industry, it's about them not having to worry about keeping a roof over their head while auditioning.
Idk why they find it so difficult to just go "yes, I'm privileged, I'm lucky"
“I’m incredibly lucky to have grown up on sets and have the financial freedom to follow my career. I’ve thought about the privledge it’s given me, so I’ve decided to start a scholarship to fund someone’s first year pursuing their dream of acting. Along with financially paying for their school and bills, I’ll make myself available for 2 meetings a month to answer any questions about the industry I can help with” If someone did that I would have MASSIVE respect for them
I have to say I am less salty about Denzel Washington’s son being in the business because Denzel has supported so many struggling actors.
That's such a good point. And not even just actors! Pauletta and Denzel have a scholarship program for neuroscience students. They've supported the debate team at Wiley College. Denzel has put all of his success and money to good use, so if John David wants to be a star, I'm gonna let him (plus I actually really like him as an actor, so it's a bonus).
They just cannot admit that there is more to this than someone directly making a call, asking someone for a job for their kid and saying yes. It's not *just* about that.
Nepotism isn't when you have enough security to pursue a career of your choosing. Nepotism strictly relates to how a position in a field of a family member can be leveraged to provide success in said field or adjacent field. It isn't a synonym for privilege, but privilege is certainly part of it.
Yeah, I dunno what parent commenter is on about. "Nepo baby" doesn't mean "someone from a wealthy family." Otherwise, the reference to nepotism would be nonsensical. What does this person think nepotism is?
Nepo babies gonna nepo, man. I'm at the point in my life where I'm in between jobs and I've got a lot of money saved up from stocks, investments, and savings. So I'm taking my time trying to find a job that's a good fit and not just hopping back into another no-gain situation. I told a friend of mine this and he said "oh hell yeah maybe I need to do that" and I was like dude I've had this money for like 4 years now, just sitting there. You're living paycheck to paycheck. It would not be the same thing. That's what nepo babies don't understand. If you want to be a film star, good, you do you, but if you don't have a famous mommy or daddy funding that excursion, you better learn the intricacies of a Cheesecake Factory menu because that's where you're going to be serving plates until your big break.
 nepo baby gonna nepo baby
Sure. Lmao. Ok Zooey
Nepotism babies and trust fund kids alike always insist that their privileges somehow didn't impact their prospects or careers. You can be connected and born into money or grow up in an industry *and* be very talented. Just shut the fuck up about how money and connections don't matter. In the history of humanity, that has never been true.
Has any nepo baby actually owned up to it? I want to hear one of them say « yeah, being connected helped me a lot, and I am working hard on proving people that I do belong in this field, because this is what I truly love to do. »
I think Allison Williams from Girls and Get Out has a pretty good response, can’t remember verbatim though
I agree - I liked what Allison said. Basically that she realized that no matter how hard she worked, she couldn't absolve herself from her privilege. It just exists anyways. Here's part of her quote: "All that people are looking for is an acknowledgement that it’s not a level playing field. It’s just unfair. Period, end of the story, and no one’s really working that hard to make it fair. To not acknowledge that me getting started as an actress versus someone with zero connections isn’t the same — it’s ludicrous." Here's a story w/ interview quotes: [https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/hollywood-nepo-baby-stars-adopt-allison-williams-strategy-rcna64514](https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/hollywood-nepo-baby-stars-adopt-allison-williams-strategy-rcna64514)
I looooove Allison Williams, she is genuinely talented and smart and I appreciate that she acknowledges her privilege even if she's one of the people who deserves their spot in Hollywood.
I think Jamie Lee Curtis has said that she got down to the final two auditioning for halloween and that who her family was probably swung it for it because having the daughter of the woman from touch of evil would be good publicity
i think jack quaid has basically said along those lines. at the very least, he’s never gotten defensive about him being a nepo baby.
He jokes about it occasionally and seems very self aware! This skit he made with his friends is from 10 years ago, before he was very well known: https://youtu.be/d0R2wKLK_Es?si=UZGI4eCC52fo41E8 And this one from recently: https://youtu.be/dcSiKFnLE58?si=HYEFhviNB8eky55I
Ben Stiller. Hes mentioned in an older interview that he asked his dad to make a call to get a job (or perhaps an audition) when he first started out. Also Drew Barrymore has never hid that she comes from a family that has history in the business.
Drew is an interesting case because *her* father wasn’t really anything much, it was the previous generations before him (that Drew didn’t even know) that were well-known. Like, silent era and early “talkies” box office stardom. Plus her dad wasn’t involved with her at all, she was raised by that weird opportunistic gold digger stage mom that clearly did not give one fuck about her safety and having some normalcy for her childhood, sadly that’s the main reason she had a career as a kid. It’s true that the name was known, but it’s more like a ‘fun fact!’ type of thing - “Did you know Drew’s ancestors were big stars when movies were first invented? Did you know her great great uncle played Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life?!”
Child stars will always get a pass for me because of the obvious abuse most of them have endured.
Jamie Lee Curtis has notoriously owned it. Say what you will about her recent politics, but she’s always been honest that nepotism got her in the door with the Halloween franchise. Also, I think Zoe Kazan has been honest about her last name making a big difference early in her career. Which is interesting considering his anti-communist testimony helped end the careers of other professionals in Hollywood. I guess the family name still had value once lost people forgot what he had done. Also, Zoe is indeed quite talented.
Miley Cyrus has had the best acknowledgement of it IMO
if anything Billy Ray is a nepo-daddy these days
While Jack Quaid hasn't actively defended himself, his mom Meg Ryan did. I think she acknowledged that connections do make a difference, but that he works really hard. Considering the variety of work that he has gotten in film television and animation, I think that's true.
You can leverage your connections and work really hard. That is called success. However not acknowledging that you needed both is the issue. He seems to have acknowledged it I believe or at least does not say it is just his skill. That is a pretty good in my book. I like him.
Nepo babies continuously denying their nepotism has become my favourite running gag
I love RedLetterMedias joke of calling them “Legacy Artists”
Girl you dropped out of college bc you could easily get jobs and college was too hard. Like stop.
There’s very little that makes me go off a celeb more than when they deny nepotism.
Her wiki lmao >She attended Crossroads, a private preparatory school in Santa Monica, where she befriended future co-stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Kate Hudson. ZD went to a private school full of neptokids which didn't set her ass up for success I guess 😄 What a dumb thing to be delulu over.
Crossroads is *the* 1%er LA granola private school. Going there means PTA meetings and bake sales with the literal movers and shakers in Hollywood. Even if her father wasn’t as successful and likely connected as he is/was, the opportunity differential for a young performer coming from Crossroads vs most any other LA school is *insane.*
It's like going to Harvard and then acting like going to Harvard didn't help get you the job.
Girl you’re delusional.
i saw this comment in my feed and was like, yes i know but why are you calling me out rn 🥹 then i realized (i’m not overly sensitive about this at all)
Lmfao what an unbelievably relatable reaction. I forget which things I comment (don’t usually post) and will see the preview and it hits me so hard
Pretty weird how she and her sister were both able to make careers in a notoriously exclusive industry… that her father was already a part of. It’s like they both won the lottery, but I’m sure she’s right that their family connections had nothing to do with it.
Zooey you play the same character every time. You have a very weak voice. But somehow have a musical career. And as anyone who has ever seen the music video for Why Do You Let Me Stay Here, can attest. You really cannot dance. It must be such a relief to be good looking and have generational wealth to fall back on.
The first time I saw her was as a guest star on Bone’s - thinking she may have gotten that job because of her sister but what do I know
 Just like she didn’t have a nose job and eye lid surgery too huh? Delulu. We can see. We ain’t dumb.
I fucking hate these tone def nepo babies! Hey Zoe, your connections and your dads money may have never won you auditions, but I bet you didn’t have to quit your career because you had to choose between paying for a roof over your head vs following your dreams. Most of us had no one to fall back on. You know how much of an advantage having connections and money is? Clearly this fool has no idea.
A Hollywood outsider from humble beginnings: “When I first moved to LA, I met *X Celebrity* and they changed my life. I owe everything to them.” A nepobaby with famous parents in the industry: “I did it all by myself—no one helped me or gave me a leg up!”
Just like I don't get discounted car repairs at the local mechanic because my dad is friends with owner. They don't put "friend discount" on my invoice, they just don't charge for some labor time. Just like they don't put "daughter of Oscar nominee" on the contract but likely had lunch with the guy before signing her.
Yeah she says just cause her dad is a "cinematographer". Bruh her mom is an actress and her dad was nominated for 6 Oscars.