Neverending nepotism in Hollywood?

[Bloop]

I don't want this to be a hate-thread (despite the title), but I find it disappointing how many current famous actors are famous partly due to nepotism. Or, at the very least, they get their breaks due to the connections of their parents or studios hiring them based in part on their famous lineage.

I was reading casting rumors for the new X-Men franchise, with Patrick Schwarzenegger and Daisy Edgar-Jones being listed for key roles. Patrick, you obviously know who his dad is, but I had looked up Daisy just to see who she was because I wasn't familiar with her by name. While she's not the daughter of anyone famous, her father is the director of Sky Arts and the head of entertainment at Sky (Sky is a British broadcaster, for those unaware). Her mother was also a drama film editor. So, while not a child of fame, she certainly benefited from her parents connections in entertainment.

I noted that there's at least two actors in Thunderbolts* who have famous parents - Wyatt Russell is the son of actors Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, and Lewis Pullman is the son of actor Bill Pullman. Florence Pugh doesn't have actor parents, but her father is a famous restraunteur, and certainly grew up in a more privileged life than most. Her brother is also an actor, appearing in 5 episodes of Game of Thrones, among other theatrical roles.

I'm not suggesting that they're not good actors. From what I've seen, they're all very good. So why am I complaining? Because there's a lot of equally talented people who never get the chances these actors have had. I know the world isn't "fair," but it seems like Hollywood is just perpetuating the "nepo baby" trend. I get that movies are big financial productions and the studios might be looking for any casting that might give them a little extra. Having a famous name obviously helps get noticed. It's disappointing that it sure seems hard to get noticed if you don't have connections from birth. There's tons of actors grinding away that'll never even get auditions for the roles these privileged few are offered.

I guess I'm posting because I'm curious what others think. Does it matter to you who these actors are related to, either positive or negative? Does it influence your decision to see projects if you know who these actors are connected to?

 

[xeno]

Hollywood is just very visible, and you can look up names and family, and just because it is a profession, that potentially brings in large cash flow
does not make it bad.
Nepotism is everywhere, and normal business practice, I go my job because my dad knew somebody in the business.

I think you can't find a single job where a form of nepotism isn't present, and you think there might be someone else that might be better at that job

 

[Laspector]

"Its not what you know, its who you know."

Truer words were never spoken.

 

[laellee]

I agree that there is a lot of (arguably) unneeded nepotism in Hollywood.

I think a lot of the actors are also benefitting from having (Hollywood or not) CONNECTED parents, and those connections often are coming from the wealth of the family. That wealth and privilege are also the ingredients to potentially make an up-and-coming actor because the family can afford to send the kid to all the acting classes, pay for the specialized training, let them perhaps forgo formal education to concentrate completely on casting auditions/etc. Normal kids are hoping for a part-time burger flipping job after school for pocket money, where a lot of these 'nepos' are getting home tutoring/schooling, or going to educational schools that specialize in hollywood/acting/etc. Combine those benefits with the advantages of the connections that wealthy and influential people make (Hollywood or not), and there's just not much of a contest.

A good analogy I think is NASCAR racing here in the states. There is a lot of nepotism, and definitely 'who you knowism' (as Laspector said). Again with the upbringing and wealth that allows a kid to start circle-track racing at 7 years old, they already have an undeniable edge over us normies. But back to the point of my analogy, I have been saying for years that I would bet conservatively, 9 of the top 10 best NASCAR drivers in the world right now have never been behind the wheel of a racecar. and they never will be. They have all the intuition, the natural abilities, the instincts to be that good, and could do it, but they will never get the opportunity because of no money, no connections, no nepotism, etc.

 

[HeartBlade]

Nepotism plays a huge role in all industries, not just Hollywood. Hollywood is probably the most visible though because it is an industry that consists of connections and people becoming famous aka well-known.

Its not just actors who get a foot into the industry through nepotism or wealth either. JJ Abrams father was a veteran television producer and mother was a Peabody award winning television executive producer. According to this site, entertainment isnt even the highest industry in terms of importance in "who you know vs what you know."
.

Nepotism statistics & how common is it in the workplace

Has a personal connection ever gotten you a job? A new survey asks whether it’s what you know, or who you know that counts in the workplace.

standout-cv.com

But it makes sense, especially in Hollywood and entertainment imo. Kids are likely exposed from a young age to the work their parents do (Kristen Stewart recently stated experience isnt needed to direct but she also grew up in a household with a television producer and stage manager father and a script supervisor mother). If their kid wanted to get into an industry, the parents would know what to do or at least have the connections to help their kids enter their industry versus an industry they have no exposure in. Connections also kind of give a "proof of authenticity" to the person compared to a completely unknown talent so you would have to be very very very talented to stand out from the crowd (and also likely rich because even with connections and talent, it can take several years to get a job as a writer or actor).

But this is true with anything, even politics. A person can probably get pretty far if they have Kennedy as their last name for example.

Whether this is good or not and the truly talented have a chance, I honestly cant say. While it could be possible that there are incredibly talented writers, film makers, and actors who will never get the chance to be in front of or behind a camera; the people that get their foot in the door through nepotism do have more knowledge of the film industry than the average joe and nepotism doesnt mean a person can survive. You still need to have some minimum level of talent and be a good person to work with or you are out.

 

[JPH]

They are making $$$ until AI takes over.

I love it when I hear about a business where the same family has been involved for generations, so if they can, why not. Control what you can.

This is what they know.

Since it usually pays well and has fame, they are definitely blocking others out of the industry, but with The Interweb thingy, just about anyone can make something and have it seen.

Your brain would explode to see how many successful, talentless musicians there are, but for they knew someone. Meanwhile much better musicians do it as a hobby because it wont pay the bills

I am more done with everyone wanting Pedro Pascal in everything.

 

[Cephus]

This is incredibly common everywhere, not just Hollywood.

 

[joberg]

Every parent wants the best for their children...right? Whether you're from a well-to-do family or not. When was it "bad" to use your connections and your experience in a business (put name of the business here...) to make sure your child has a good job, or a career that he/she always was passionate about? You meant to tell me that, by just saying my family name and showing my face, I'll have a job right away?
No actor had to flip burgers, or be a waiter or do other jobs before being successful? I'm tired of those labels given by who knows who and saying because of their standing in life they're guilty...Life's not fair; we all know that saying. What my experience in life has shown me is that, no matter your experience and your hard work, chance is the unknown factor in the equation! I don't care where you come from or if you have a "famous" name. My question is: can you do the job, yes or no...period!

 

[jakob2121]

The comedian Roy Wood Jr (whose father was a well-respected journalist) said it best - restaurants and plumbers and movers all like to advertise their nepotism (& Sons), why should acting be any different?

Some of my favorite actors of the newest crop are nepotism babies, and chances are some of your favorite actors of the older generation are, too. Princess Leia. Ellen Ripley. Laurie Strode - all famous and enduring characters that were big breaks for nepo babies.

 

[batguy]

It goes way beyond actors. Lots of the crew behind the scenes are nepo or otherwise connected too. It's the entire industry.

 

[Cephus]

It goes way beyond actors. Lots of the crew behind the scenes are nepo or otherwise connected too. It's the entire industry.

It's every industry. The company I work for, the CEO is going to retire and his son is going to take over the company. The company my wife works for, the same thing already happened. This is just the way it goes almost everywhere.

 

[Funky]

To me, the Biggest loss is Paris Hilton. How this over-privileged piece of shi* and her huge nose made it to the screen is one of man’s greatest mysteries.

 

[Moviefreak]

Nothing new in Hollywood. Look up legendary actors and see their long lineage in Hollywood. Some of the most prominent actors had parents and grandparents in the industry, going back to silent films.

 

[NeoRutty]

I don't give a thought to it unless the actor sucks.

Patrick Schwarzenegger does not suck... He was just great in White Lotus...

Jack quaid does not suck... he's great even!

If you grow up around movies... in Hollywood... are on set all day... have access, and an opportunity, are you going to pass it up cuz "well... someone on the interwebs might get MYAD!"

Especially with how hard it is to get a decent job these days? ESPECIALLY if you, like your parents, are DRAWN to it and WANT to make movies?

I wish MY parents were in the industry! It's been a pain getting my scripts/projects made! So many gatekeepers.

My buddy has a successful furniture/cabinet making company - really talented. His kid is 8 and already knows what all the tools are called... how to use a bunch of em safely. He spends a lot of his day hanging at the shop. His mom's an architect as well, he's super talented at drawing already...

But he should go into optometry... cuz taking over for his dad in the family biz would be nepotism.

 

[JediG60racer]

I know an actress (who has since changed her last name), but when she went to get a start in the industry, she used the last name Spielberg as her last name. It absolutely did open doors, because people were too afraid to ask her directly what her connection may be, to avoid looking ignorant, and they gave her opportunities to try to avoid ticking off the wrong 800lb gorilla, and curry favor if possible.
I give her kudos for using the flaws in the system to game the system.

 

[Lightning]

It's every industry.

Take for example, River pilots on the Mississippi. Like 90% of them are related to at least one other pilot, Some families go back 5 or 6 generations.

To me, the Biggest loss is Paris Hilton. How this over-privileged piece of shi* and her huge nose made it to the screen is one of man’s greatest mysteries.

If it helps, her entire public persona is a carefully crafted act.

 

[Doppla]

I guess it's to be expected in some ways. These kids grow up in a world surrounded by the industry. Maybe mum or dad is an actor and they just want to do the same job cause it rubs off on them. Not much different from someone being inspired to be a cop, fireman or whatever their parents may be. I think famous people are way more exposed as to who their 'connections' are but we wouldn't notice those connections in any other profession. As long as the person is good at their chosen path, doesn't really matter does it?

 

[Bloop]

Thanks for all the comments. I do understand that's how things work and have worked, not just in entertainment. I just feel like it's even more prevalent today. Like, working your way up isn't a thing anymore, or at least is much more rare.

While I also get that having parents foster talent and pass on their skills at a young age, it goes beyond that in entertainment. Fans actually will follow the children of actors they like, as if they have some real connection to them. That's more baffling than the rest of it. I admit, I've been more interested in actors because of their parents, but, again, I don't see why that should matter.

 

[AnthonyD2199]

Also add into this what Maya Hawke brought up recently that its getting harder to get in unless you have a sizeable social media presence that people she thought were good were being discounted by execs because they didn't have so many instagram followers, so that adds yet another hurdle for people getting in.

Especially in the UK there are far less programs and opportunities for working class people to get into acting mostly because they get defunded.

 

[Bloop]

Also, why do we want to keep seeing the same actors over and over in different roles? Yes, we like good actors for their abilities and feel that it's more likely a project will be good if they're involved, but it also kind of ruins the suspension of disbelief seeing the same people over and over. Shouldn't we want to see new people whom we don't have any preconceived notions about? Or do we just like that certain recognizable people can "trick" us (for lack of a better term) into making us believe they're a different character?

I guess some of these things are just human nature, wanting to like and be liked based on shared experiences and such. Lately, I've been thinking about lot about why we do things, our motivations, and basically how everything we do is driven by our animal impulses. Wanting to be liked and going along with trends is herd mentality - in nature, animals are safer as part of a group. Even things like why we like shiny things - Christmas-type lights, a shiny car, etc - and found that, while no one knows for sure, the prevailing opinion is that we're attracted to shiny things because of shiny things in nature that humans need, like water. Or, a brightly colored, shiny piece of fruit - I assume the bright color and shine are usually denoting ripeness.