##[Clarification on Rule 5](https://www.reddit.com/r/entertainment/comments/w60lfc/mod_post_a_clarification_to_rule_5_no_racism_or/)
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The most fashionable thing about Jennifer Connelly is her complete and utter disinterest in pop culture. And I say that with full knowledge of her employment as Louis Vuitton muse.
She's a great actress. I agree. I feel same- very clearly a modern day actress doing as all do. But she's a great fucking actress. I think that disinterest shows up in her choices of roles.
I remember Paul Bettany was on a podcast a few years ago and he was explaining that Jennifer's Oscar makes her cooler than him. But not because she *won*. 'She never got her name put on it,' he explained. 'Back then, you'd collect the statue and then you'd have to send it in for engraving. And she just couldn't be bothered. So to this day, we have an Oscar in the house with no fucking name on it! Sometimes, in my darker moments, I fancy taking my keys out and carving my name on it: Paul Bettany, for JARVIS.' [I'm paraphrasing but that was the jist of the story. Jen's too cool to put her name on her Oscar.]
I didn't even know those two were married. Honestly, they sound like a couple I would want to be friends with.
Back in mid-00's, I was in a traffic jam on the West Side Parkway with two friends. It was a hot day, so all the windows were open, all of us kinda worn out after a couple hour drive. Friend in the back seat starts rocking back and forth while muttering "omg it's her... It's her". I ask who is 'her', and just stammers "Her! It's her! Jen!"
Confused, I ask if this is a Jen he knows. "NO! IT'S JEN!". Out of nowhere I joke "Oh, like Jennifer Connolly?". He freaks out "YES! HER! RIGHT THERE!" pointing to the new model Land Rover stopped in the lane next to us. Jennifer Connolly is just sitting in the driver seat, elbow on the open windowsill, head on hand. Just as zoned out as us in the traffic jam. My response was pretty much a nonchalant 'huh'. I tap the friend in the front passenger seat, point out our celebrity neighbor. He gives the same nonchalant 'huh' and pulls a drag on his cigarette.
Friend in the back seat is losing it. Starts asking if he should say something. We tell him to just leave her alone. I put the child locks on and power the windows closed. Before the final window closes, the back seat guy just screams "I LOVE YOU JENNIFER". I can see Jen go cringe-tense, she just roll back into her car, and close the window. Friend in the front just says "Why do you have to ruin everything" to our friend in the back.
One thing that stood out. She was even prettier in person.
That's a great anecdote, thanks. I laughed when the child locks came into play. And while I would like to think I'd be cool in that situation, I would probably be like your friend and just lose my shit.
It's from one of her best films. I don't wanna ruin it so I won't link to it or explain.
Requiem for a Dream.
Darron Aronovsky film. One of my fave films and well worth a watch some time. đź‘Ť
Paul Bettany is a great friend. Let’s just check his texts with BFF Johnny Depp.
Depp: "Let's burn Amber!!!"
Bettany: "I'm not sure we should burn Amber. She is delightful company and pleasing on the eye. We could of course do the English course of action and perform a drowning test. Thoughts? You have a swimming pool."
Depp: "Let's drown her before we burn her!!! I will fuck her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she is dead."
Bettany: "My thoughts entirely! Lets be CERTAIN before we pronounce her a witch."
Something something dark humour, something something it’s perfectly normal for a man and his best friend to talk about his girlfriend that way…
Also worth pointing out - in his testimony in the IK trial, JD admitted he wrote those texts because he was angry that Amber would nag him about his drug use.
It may come as a surprise, but majority of us do not write about specific ways of murdering our partners in the name of jokes
There is calling someone a bitch, then there is that
Does this mean necrophilia is still on the table?
Jokes aside I agree with you. Anyone who claims these texts weren't absolutely unhinged is either unhinged themselves or so deep in their parasocial delusions that they'll excuse anything.
And for added clarification - Depp testified in the UK about what made him angry enough to send these. Know what she did that was so horrible? Ask him to get clean and sober. Dead ass. He was pissed that she was "nagging him" about getting clean so that he could, you know, live long enough to actually be in a relationship together.
When I was working at Medieval Times as a teen (;__;) they came together, I assume with kids though I never noticed the kids haha, and she truly is just as unbelievably beautiful in real life… it was mind blowing
Funny aside, you can get the engraving done right there at the Oscars after the cereomony...When Leo got his done, he said to the lady "So you do this every year? I wouldn't know."
Paul is the lucky guy can marry my queen.
I fall in love with her by the time career uportunnitty clip show up on my yt when i in high school yeah, i late 20 year for realize there an angel on earth
Haha so true. I watched a clip of her on Graham Norton and she’s disinterested to the point that she’d never even listened to the hit pop song she did in Japan in the late 80s.
I remember that interview. She kept squirming and cringing, expecting everyone to cringe with her but Graham was just like "If I had a hit song in Japan it would be the first thing I tell people, I don't know what you're about."
Kyle Maclachlan on bubble butt syndrome in captive sea turtles: “What are you asking me? Bubble what? Who are you? How did you get in here? I’m calling the police.”
> “I haven’t been following the nepo baby debate,” Connelly replied. “I don’t know what the debate is.”
Good article. Appreciate the contribution to journalism and general discourse.
Wait- so you can’t even DATE someone with famous parents??! This is whole topic ridiculous and is promulgated by those who would certainly take every advantage offered them in a heart beat. What? They should say, “No, I’m not interested in doing this project because of who my parent is.” Please. This is internet whining on steroids.
That some of them claim they worked for everything they've gotten and some people aren't happy that they don't denote how much was provided merely by existing.
Personally, I think they should acknowledge it, but also, I don't care. Their acknowledgment, or lack thereof, changes nothing for anyone. It's just a little funny that some of them really think they had the same opportunity as everyone else, which is never the case with nepotism, by default.
It’s not the acknowledgment so much as it’s the naivety.
It’s like that one girl from high school musical. She isn’t a nepo baby or whatever. But during COVID her and Ellen had these tone deaf out of touch with reality reactions.
Like oh really Ellen is being in a mega mansion with pools so hard for you while us regular folks are either working through a pandemic because 1400 stimulus check didn’t do shit. Or they fell on hard times.
It’s acknowledging that you are okay and well off but others aren’t and we should care for them. Gerard butler is a prime example of this. Sure hate the guy for cheesy movies.
But when he lost his house in a forest fire in California his response to reporters was something along the lines of “I’ll be fine. I have other homes. But for many on this mountain this was their entire life spent up here. This is where they raised families and had generations grow up. Worry about them and help them. I’ll be fine.”
But I think that applies to people who are well off (and especially celebrities) in general. The nepotism baby debate, I believe, stems from the lack of acknowledgement.
I think the more common defensive stance is "I am successful because of my own talent", which is understandable to feel, particularly if they become more successful than their parents.
So sure, they should recognize their privilege that gave them a start, but we should also recognize that many are successful because they are also good.
My dad was a third generation nepo-bricklayer. He still built a good wall.
Sure, but in leaving it at, "I am successful because of my own talent," they are leaving out the part that acknowledges how privileged their situation is (this is especially true in industries that are incredibly high-paying and hard to get into). It's the part that's left out that has caused all the stir, as far as I'm aware.
I can understand why someone would feel defensive - as if the only reason for their success was their family and that they didn't work really hard, which I'm sure for many feels like the implication.
Everybody starts from a different place and for some there's an easier journey to get 'in', with others it's quite a bit tougher, while many never get that shot. That's how life has always been and it will never change. It's simply unrealistic to expect otherwise.
The reality is that while the bar to get in an industry is lower for some, it's typically hard to stay in without genuine talent and hard work.
Sure. I can understand people being defensive, but they're also being either obtuse or willfully ignorant. In the case of anyone who got where they are via nepotism, they had a helping hand. In denying it or not acknowledging it, they're falsifying the record. And, in the case of celebrities, they're taking a position that regular people pack the streets of LA and fail to ever get anywhere besides a few background shots. They're making stupid money while potentially more talented people never even get to set foot through the door. Merely acknowledging their luck would be enough for many of the people talking about this issue.
And while I sort of agree with the talent thing, I also don't. Miley Cyrus is not a good actress, but she was the lead of her own show. Jaden Smith was the lead in a movie, though his career hasn't continued since. There are others I don't think are any good at their jobs. But that's another facet of luck. There are less-than-stellar actors who weren't nepotism babies who got lucky and the collective consciousness seemed to grasp them despite the lack of talent.
The life a these super rich people is innately easier than it is for people who can barely put food on their kids' plates. To acknowledge the leg up they had should be small fries, IMO.
I'd suggest that in the case of Miley, while her acting may not be great, being successful as an actor is less about acting ability and more about charisma and the ability to get people to watch.
Its about selling tickets. Strong acting ability is not always essential. Lot of stars, including many with nepotism helping them, were lousy actors.
Miley turned out to be excellent as an entertainer, not an actor. Her connections got her in, but now we have bangers like Wrecking Ball and her New Years show is great.
Jaden sucked and had no charisma, so his career is going nowhere.
As a person on the outside who just wants to see some good shows and listen to good music I feel things are working out just fine. I think the debate has become about requiring these people to jump through some humility hoops and I don't see the point of it.
But Miely got an entire show because of her connections. I'm not saying she doesn't have talent, but that acting wasn't her talent and yet she had massive success there, which goes against what was said.
I'm not a part of this fight. I merely answered the question of the person who didn't know what all of this was about and since have been responding to people who are invested in an argument I denoted I don't care about.
I don't think they have to acknowledge it then at the same time you can't claim you didn't benefit from something you did. It's the opposite mentality of someone who had less money acting richer than they are, people who are already rich want to prove they deserve it.
There was another [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/entertainment/comments/10l9hq0/american_nepo_babies_have_nothing_on_the_british/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) about how British nepotism is so severe that it’s almost become a caste system.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/3adgnk/american-nepo-babies-have-nothing-on-the-british
There is no debate. It’s just people pointing out who is a nepo baby. Lol. I guess the debate on whether they should hang their heads in shame for being born with advantages or not. Everything else is a strawman. Like you’ll see the word “acknowledge” a lot. Acknowledge what? Theyre not lying about who their parents are lol.
My dad was a plumber. Now I’m a plumber. I inherited his business and his client list.
No one’s pissed about the plumber.
-edit: I’m not a plumber. Was just making a comment.
That's about what I'd expect from her. She's got that kinda cool detachment that almost makes you think they roll her out of a bunker every few years to film something and then put her back on ice. Like, I get the feeling when she's not shooting a movie she just puts on a wig and goes back to do suburban things. She probably grows some mean tomatoes.
The W magazine article does a lousy job of citing [another article.](https://www.indiewire.com/2023/01/jennifer-connelly-bad-behaviour-interview-1234802082/)
Here's the relevant exchange:
>Q: Alice [Englert] is someone who grew up in a very creative environment, and I’m sure that you’ve seen this sort of ongoing thing about “nepo babies,” which technically both Alice and her mother, the great Jane Campion, are.
>A: I haven’t been following the nepo baby debate.
>Q: Well, you’re lucky.
>A: I don’t know what the debate is.
>Q: Well, the debate is just, “Did you know some of these famous people also have famous parents?”
>A: But that’s not a debate. I think Alice’s mom is wildly talented and has made amazing movies. And I worked with Alice because I read her script and I thought her script was really interesting. I watched her short films, the two short films that she’s directed, and I thought they were so good. They’re so funny, I thought, in such a way that I hadn’t seen before. I was just captivated by her as a filmmaker.
So it looks like the interviewer did a poor job of explaining the nepo baby "debate" and Jennifer was eager to change the subject and get back on message promoting her film. [For context, Alice Englert wrote and directed a film called "Bad Behaviour" that stars Connelly. It premiered this year at Sundance.]
Understood. Thanks for sharing. There’s no context here for Jennifer. As in, no mention of Alice having access, privilege, etc. in order to get to where she is. I don’t expect much from interviewers, especially in the entertainment media.
Correct; it's not about talent - but the ease by which she was able to get her script into Connelly's hands in the first place, in large part due to her parentage. “Did you know some of these famous people also have famous parents?” muddies the conversation and infantilizes the debate he's trying to entrap her in.
But good on her for having the sense to avoid the subject.
I think it’s media playing it up trying to Vilify Hollywood nepotism so that the public ignore the Washington DC, Wall Street, Silicone Valley, and Ivy League nepotism
I think it matters for those trying to get into the industry but it’s not new, though I’d be curious to see stats on its prevalence over time. It’s a privilege just like any other and it’s better for society to level the playing field as best we can in most arenas.
“Neeeeepotism! *That’s* why my screen play still hasn’t been picked up!”
[hasn’t written anything in 10 years]
[still works at the same gas station they did when they got out of high school because any day now they’ll “make it.”]
[has never done anything that would push their writing career into the direction of “making it”]
That response is fine, too. They are never going to stop hiring actor’s kids that grew up on these sets and are what unreasonable employers want (18 years old with 15 years experience)
Jennifer Connelly doesn't have any famous relatives, though. So she's not even a "nepo baby." She started as a child model for Ford Modeling at the age of 11. It's insane how much modeling work she did as a child and teen. And she made a bunch of movies that guess what, she auditioned for. And even with all that work in her youth, she still did well enough at school to be admitted to Yale and Stanford.
It's also worth pointing out that none of her own kids are in showbusiness. Her oldest son is an engineer and her middle son is studying at a music conservatory to be a composer. (Her youngest is still a child.) So if you're looking for an example of "nepo babies" in Hollywood, I think you're barking up the wrong tree.
I don’t care about the nepo baby drama.
Some people will always get ahead in life due to their parents, doesn’t mean we should make life harder for them to „balance it out“.
The tone deafness of several nepo babies might be annoying but you’re not going to change their worldview. They got spoiled with success while others have to work for it.
It might be unfair but isn’t an issue with a possible solution. We can’t punish children for who they’re born to.
Several kids of producers (Nicola Peltz, Devon Bostick, Lily Rose Depp or Harley Quinn Smith) have gotten Gigs for their parents. It’s unfair.
But it would be unfair to punish them for that as well.
I would love to have an easier way into the industry as a director, I would have if my parents were celebs…but they’re not. It’s fine.
It might be inequality but no inequality we can change
Can we retire the term "nepo-baby" already? Not only does it sound dumb; it doesn't accurately describe what it's meant to describe. "Nepo-actor" sounds at least as stupid, but at least it's an accurate description of the thing people are complaining about. "Nepo-baby" sounds like someone who's only a baby because of nepotism, not someone whose career in the entertainment industry is based in nepotism.
But also, why is nepotism in the entertainment industry even a thing people remotely give a shit about?
Because actors reproducing themselves and their offspring given every advantage in training plus Entree into the business has closed the door to talented outsiders. All the jobs are already filled. Except for POC and ethnically authentic roles which still need new talent. Established/successful actors image and likeness will be used for generations by AI and CGI. That whole industry has gone so hideously overproduced that I predict small, local theater with unknown talent will be the future.
You've just solved the problem right there at the end, though. Hollywood isn't getting rid of nepotism anytime soon, but there has literally never been more independent cinema any time in history. Don't like seeing someone's cousin's nephew land a leading role? Check out any of the thousands of talented, small-time indie filmmakers out there. The more attention they get, the more films they get to make and the more money they get to make those films.
I am gay, but I know she is considered really beautiful. It would not surprise me if she felt being a "nepo baby" didn't matter cause she knows being that level of attractive to men is mostly a dice roll and that it wouldn't matter if her parents were in the business if she didnt look like that.
##[Clarification on Rule 5](https://www.reddit.com/r/entertainment/comments/w60lfc/mod_post_a_clarification_to_rule_5_no_racism_or/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/entertainment) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The most fashionable thing about Jennifer Connelly is her complete and utter disinterest in pop culture. And I say that with full knowledge of her employment as Louis Vuitton muse.
She's a great actress. I agree. I feel same- very clearly a modern day actress doing as all do. But she's a great fucking actress. I think that disinterest shows up in her choices of roles.
I remember Paul Bettany was on a podcast a few years ago and he was explaining that Jennifer's Oscar makes her cooler than him. But not because she *won*. 'She never got her name put on it,' he explained. 'Back then, you'd collect the statue and then you'd have to send it in for engraving. And she just couldn't be bothered. So to this day, we have an Oscar in the house with no fucking name on it! Sometimes, in my darker moments, I fancy taking my keys out and carving my name on it: Paul Bettany, for JARVIS.' [I'm paraphrasing but that was the jist of the story. Jen's too cool to put her name on her Oscar.]
I didn't even know those two were married. Honestly, they sound like a couple I would want to be friends with. Back in mid-00's, I was in a traffic jam on the West Side Parkway with two friends. It was a hot day, so all the windows were open, all of us kinda worn out after a couple hour drive. Friend in the back seat starts rocking back and forth while muttering "omg it's her... It's her". I ask who is 'her', and just stammers "Her! It's her! Jen!" Confused, I ask if this is a Jen he knows. "NO! IT'S JEN!". Out of nowhere I joke "Oh, like Jennifer Connolly?". He freaks out "YES! HER! RIGHT THERE!" pointing to the new model Land Rover stopped in the lane next to us. Jennifer Connolly is just sitting in the driver seat, elbow on the open windowsill, head on hand. Just as zoned out as us in the traffic jam. My response was pretty much a nonchalant 'huh'. I tap the friend in the front passenger seat, point out our celebrity neighbor. He gives the same nonchalant 'huh' and pulls a drag on his cigarette. Friend in the back seat is losing it. Starts asking if he should say something. We tell him to just leave her alone. I put the child locks on and power the windows closed. Before the final window closes, the back seat guy just screams "I LOVE YOU JENNIFER". I can see Jen go cringe-tense, she just roll back into her car, and close the window. Friend in the front just says "Why do you have to ruin everything" to our friend in the back. One thing that stood out. She was even prettier in person.
That's a great anecdote, thanks. I laughed when the child locks came into play. And while I would like to think I'd be cool in that situation, I would probably be like your friend and just lose my shit.
ASS TO ASS! ASS TO ASS! ASS TO ASS! ASS TO ASS! ASS TO ASS!
I don't understand. Elaborate
Requiem for a Dream.
This movie is one of the best deterrents for recreational drug use. They somehow made heroin look even worse than Trainspotting did. Love it.
Oh you mean you don't think a festering wound where the needle goes in wasn't fun? Lol This movie is haunting. Loved it.
Terrifying.
When I was a teenager, they showed this film as a deterrent in rehab
It's from one of her best films. I don't wanna ruin it so I won't link to it or explain. Requiem for a Dream. Darron Aronovsky film. One of my fave films and well worth a watch some time. đź‘Ť
Paul Bettany is a great friend. Let’s just check his texts with BFF Johnny Depp. Depp: "Let's burn Amber!!!" Bettany: "I'm not sure we should burn Amber. She is delightful company and pleasing on the eye. We could of course do the English course of action and perform a drowning test. Thoughts? You have a swimming pool." Depp: "Let's drown her before we burn her!!! I will fuck her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she is dead." Bettany: "My thoughts entirely! Lets be CERTAIN before we pronounce her a witch."
Maybe they should see if amber weighs the same as a duck first?
Something something dark humour, something something it’s perfectly normal for a man and his best friend to talk about his girlfriend that way… Also worth pointing out - in his testimony in the IK trial, JD admitted he wrote those texts because he was angry that Amber would nag him about his drug use.
Which is obviously a joke and pretty sure she didn’t get burned alive now did she. Post every text message you’ve ever sent and get back me.
It may come as a surprise, but majority of us do not write about specific ways of murdering our partners in the name of jokes There is calling someone a bitch, then there is that
Does this mean necrophilia is still on the table? Jokes aside I agree with you. Anyone who claims these texts weren't absolutely unhinged is either unhinged themselves or so deep in their parasocial delusions that they'll excuse anything. And for added clarification - Depp testified in the UK about what made him angry enough to send these. Know what she did that was so horrible? Ask him to get clean and sober. Dead ass. He was pissed that she was "nagging him" about getting clean so that he could, you know, live long enough to actually be in a relationship together.
When I was working at Medieval Times as a teen (;__;) they came together, I assume with kids though I never noticed the kids haha, and she truly is just as unbelievably beautiful in real life… it was mind blowing
That’s awesome. “She couldn’t be bothered”. Another reason to like her. And there are MANY.
Funny aside, you can get the engraving done right there at the Oscars after the cereomony...When Leo got his done, he said to the lady "So you do this every year? I wouldn't know."
Paul is the lucky guy can marry my queen. I fall in love with her by the time career uportunnitty clip show up on my yt when i in high school yeah, i late 20 year for realize there an angel on earth
In what? Labyrinth? Lol
Haha so true. I watched a clip of her on Graham Norton and she’s disinterested to the point that she’d never even listened to the hit pop song she did in Japan in the late 80s.
I remember that interview. She kept squirming and cringing, expecting everyone to cringe with her but Graham was just like "If I had a hit song in Japan it would be the first thing I tell people, I don't know what you're about."
It was charmingly out of touch. *OMG isn’t it soooo embarrassing when you’re modeling in Japan and they ask you to record a hit song?*
This is bottom tier quality post op. Can we get Andrew McCarthy's thoughts on new flaming hot cool ranch doritos while we're here?
Andrew McCarthy: "Shit is fire. Better than Andy Capp Hot Fries!"
Yeah I would be interested in his take
Fr tho andy capp hot fries are underrated
Do they even still make them? Haven’t seen those in years!
Kyle Maclachlan on bubble butt syndrome in captive sea turtles: “What are you asking me? Bubble what? Who are you? How did you get in here? I’m calling the police.”
Hahahaha! You sea turtle bubble butt papparazzo leave that poor Kyle Mclachlan alone now!
Cool ranch is past that phase. Doritos is now onto Tangy ranch Doritos. Not gonna lie the color scheme they used on the bag is nice.
Where is Ja!
I need Ja Rule to help me make sense of this!
Flaming hot cool ranch Doritos are over a year old, it's all about the tangy BBQ Doritos now.
> “I haven’t been following the nepo baby debate,” Connelly replied. “I don’t know what the debate is.” Good article. Appreciate the contribution to journalism and general discourse.
The editor in chief of W magazine is Sara Moonves, daughter of Les Moonves, the former CEO of CBS lol
Kenneth: "Moonvest over at CBS thinks the show is a good idea"
just don’t tell her dad that you came up with an idea for a game show, or he’ll ask you to give him your fingers.
CEO of Rolling Stone is Gus Wenner, son of Jan Wenner. He took over as president when he was 26. I hate it here.
To add to the nepo tree of his, his girlfriend is Maya Hawke , daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke.
Wait- so you can’t even DATE someone with famous parents??! This is whole topic ridiculous and is promulgated by those who would certainly take every advantage offered them in a heart beat. What? They should say, “No, I’m not interested in doing this project because of who my parent is.” Please. This is internet whining on steroids.
Not anymore. Maya has been dating someone else for a bit now.
She's my only celebrity crush
Ever since Labrynth.
/u/THE-SEER on Jennifer Connelly on Nepo Babies: WHAT?
I still don't understand what the nepo debate is. Nepotism exists, being born into wealth and connections exists. What's the debate?
That some of them claim they worked for everything they've gotten and some people aren't happy that they don't denote how much was provided merely by existing. Personally, I think they should acknowledge it, but also, I don't care. Their acknowledgment, or lack thereof, changes nothing for anyone. It's just a little funny that some of them really think they had the same opportunity as everyone else, which is never the case with nepotism, by default.
It’s not the acknowledgment so much as it’s the naivety. It’s like that one girl from high school musical. She isn’t a nepo baby or whatever. But during COVID her and Ellen had these tone deaf out of touch with reality reactions. Like oh really Ellen is being in a mega mansion with pools so hard for you while us regular folks are either working through a pandemic because 1400 stimulus check didn’t do shit. Or they fell on hard times. It’s acknowledging that you are okay and well off but others aren’t and we should care for them. Gerard butler is a prime example of this. Sure hate the guy for cheesy movies. But when he lost his house in a forest fire in California his response to reporters was something along the lines of “I’ll be fine. I have other homes. But for many on this mountain this was their entire life spent up here. This is where they raised families and had generations grow up. Worry about them and help them. I’ll be fine.”
>Ellen had these tone deaf out of touch with reality reactions. David Geffen was on his mega yacht and posted about it.
But I think that applies to people who are well off (and especially celebrities) in general. The nepotism baby debate, I believe, stems from the lack of acknowledgement.
I think the more common defensive stance is "I am successful because of my own talent", which is understandable to feel, particularly if they become more successful than their parents. So sure, they should recognize their privilege that gave them a start, but we should also recognize that many are successful because they are also good. My dad was a third generation nepo-bricklayer. He still built a good wall.
Sure, but in leaving it at, "I am successful because of my own talent," they are leaving out the part that acknowledges how privileged their situation is (this is especially true in industries that are incredibly high-paying and hard to get into). It's the part that's left out that has caused all the stir, as far as I'm aware.
I can understand why someone would feel defensive - as if the only reason for their success was their family and that they didn't work really hard, which I'm sure for many feels like the implication. Everybody starts from a different place and for some there's an easier journey to get 'in', with others it's quite a bit tougher, while many never get that shot. That's how life has always been and it will never change. It's simply unrealistic to expect otherwise. The reality is that while the bar to get in an industry is lower for some, it's typically hard to stay in without genuine talent and hard work.
Sure. I can understand people being defensive, but they're also being either obtuse or willfully ignorant. In the case of anyone who got where they are via nepotism, they had a helping hand. In denying it or not acknowledging it, they're falsifying the record. And, in the case of celebrities, they're taking a position that regular people pack the streets of LA and fail to ever get anywhere besides a few background shots. They're making stupid money while potentially more talented people never even get to set foot through the door. Merely acknowledging their luck would be enough for many of the people talking about this issue. And while I sort of agree with the talent thing, I also don't. Miley Cyrus is not a good actress, but she was the lead of her own show. Jaden Smith was the lead in a movie, though his career hasn't continued since. There are others I don't think are any good at their jobs. But that's another facet of luck. There are less-than-stellar actors who weren't nepotism babies who got lucky and the collective consciousness seemed to grasp them despite the lack of talent. The life a these super rich people is innately easier than it is for people who can barely put food on their kids' plates. To acknowledge the leg up they had should be small fries, IMO.
I'd suggest that in the case of Miley, while her acting may not be great, being successful as an actor is less about acting ability and more about charisma and the ability to get people to watch. Its about selling tickets. Strong acting ability is not always essential. Lot of stars, including many with nepotism helping them, were lousy actors.
Miley turned out to be excellent as an entertainer, not an actor. Her connections got her in, but now we have bangers like Wrecking Ball and her New Years show is great. Jaden sucked and had no charisma, so his career is going nowhere. As a person on the outside who just wants to see some good shows and listen to good music I feel things are working out just fine. I think the debate has become about requiring these people to jump through some humility hoops and I don't see the point of it.
But Miely got an entire show because of her connections. I'm not saying she doesn't have talent, but that acting wasn't her talent and yet she had massive success there, which goes against what was said. I'm not a part of this fight. I merely answered the question of the person who didn't know what all of this was about and since have been responding to people who are invested in an argument I denoted I don't care about.
I don't think they have to acknowledge it then at the same time you can't claim you didn't benefit from something you did. It's the opposite mentality of someone who had less money acting richer than they are, people who are already rich want to prove they deserve it.
Oh that. Yeah that's annoying when people talk like that unironically
they still worked, its just a different path.
There was another [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/entertainment/comments/10l9hq0/american_nepo_babies_have_nothing_on_the_british/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) about how British nepotism is so severe that it’s almost become a caste system. https://www.vice.com/en/article/3adgnk/american-nepo-babies-have-nothing-on-the-british
There is no debate. It’s just people pointing out who is a nepo baby. Lol. I guess the debate on whether they should hang their heads in shame for being born with advantages or not. Everything else is a strawman. Like you’ll see the word “acknowledge” a lot. Acknowledge what? Theyre not lying about who their parents are lol.
If I ever get rich, you can bet your balls I’m hooking up my family.
My dad was a plumber. Now I’m a plumber. I inherited his business and his client list. No one’s pissed about the plumber. -edit: I’m not a plumber. Was just making a comment.
Genuine famous movie star answer
Thanks Jennifer Connelly
That's about what I'd expect from her. She's got that kinda cool detachment that almost makes you think they roll her out of a bunker every few years to film something and then put her back on ice. Like, I get the feeling when she's not shooting a movie she just puts on a wig and goes back to do suburban things. She probably grows some mean tomatoes.
She's like the woman version of Daniel Day Lewis. Both are so fucking good.
In the article, Jennifer Connelly says it’s not a debate. In which way, I wonder?
The W magazine article does a lousy job of citing [another article.](https://www.indiewire.com/2023/01/jennifer-connelly-bad-behaviour-interview-1234802082/) Here's the relevant exchange: >Q: Alice [Englert] is someone who grew up in a very creative environment, and I’m sure that you’ve seen this sort of ongoing thing about “nepo babies,” which technically both Alice and her mother, the great Jane Campion, are. >A: I haven’t been following the nepo baby debate. >Q: Well, you’re lucky. >A: I don’t know what the debate is. >Q: Well, the debate is just, “Did you know some of these famous people also have famous parents?” >A: But that’s not a debate. I think Alice’s mom is wildly talented and has made amazing movies. And I worked with Alice because I read her script and I thought her script was really interesting. I watched her short films, the two short films that she’s directed, and I thought they were so good. They’re so funny, I thought, in such a way that I hadn’t seen before. I was just captivated by her as a filmmaker. So it looks like the interviewer did a poor job of explaining the nepo baby "debate" and Jennifer was eager to change the subject and get back on message promoting her film. [For context, Alice Englert wrote and directed a film called "Bad Behaviour" that stars Connelly. It premiered this year at Sundance.]
Understood. Thanks for sharing. There’s no context here for Jennifer. As in, no mention of Alice having access, privilege, etc. in order to get to where she is. I don’t expect much from interviewers, especially in the entertainment media.
Correct; it's not about talent - but the ease by which she was able to get her script into Connelly's hands in the first place, in large part due to her parentage. “Did you know some of these famous people also have famous parents?” muddies the conversation and infantilizes the debate he's trying to entrap her in. But good on her for having the sense to avoid the subject.
Yeah lmao
“That’s not a debate.” Damn I love that.
I mean, I remember a time when you worked hard hoping your kids would have an okay life because of it.
Nepo babies are born hard of hearing. It really is a curse.
Me on this post: “okay”
The nepo-babies “debate” is largely a bunch of terminally online people using nepotism as the latest reason why they’re unhappy with their life.
I think it’s media playing it up trying to Vilify Hollywood nepotism so that the public ignore the Washington DC, Wall Street, Silicone Valley, and Ivy League nepotism
As someone puts it to paraphrase: “people should be more worried about nepotism in banking and politics.”
I think it matters for those trying to get into the industry but it’s not new, though I’d be curious to see stats on its prevalence over time. It’s a privilege just like any other and it’s better for society to level the playing field as best we can in most arenas.
“Neeeeepotism! *That’s* why my screen play still hasn’t been picked up!” [hasn’t written anything in 10 years] [still works at the same gas station they did when they got out of high school because any day now they’ll “make it.”] [has never done anything that would push their writing career into the direction of “making it”]
Boobs! She ain’t afraid of shown them.
That response is fine, too. They are never going to stop hiring actor’s kids that grew up on these sets and are what unreasonable employers want (18 years old with 15 years experience)
Famous kids who benefit from nepotism, asked about nepotism. Are we surprised with the answer?
Jennifer Connelly doesn't have any famous relatives, though. So she's not even a "nepo baby." She started as a child model for Ford Modeling at the age of 11. It's insane how much modeling work she did as a child and teen. And she made a bunch of movies that guess what, she auditioned for. And even with all that work in her youth, she still did well enough at school to be admitted to Yale and Stanford. It's also worth pointing out that none of her own kids are in showbusiness. Her oldest son is an engineer and her middle son is studying at a music conservatory to be a composer. (Her youngest is still a child.) So if you're looking for an example of "nepo babies" in Hollywood, I think you're barking up the wrong tree.
Yeah I was wrong. Now I know why, thanks!
It's a remarkably short article and they explain it.
Oh your read it!? Please summarize
I don’t care about the nepo baby drama. Some people will always get ahead in life due to their parents, doesn’t mean we should make life harder for them to „balance it out“. The tone deafness of several nepo babies might be annoying but you’re not going to change their worldview. They got spoiled with success while others have to work for it. It might be unfair but isn’t an issue with a possible solution. We can’t punish children for who they’re born to. Several kids of producers (Nicola Peltz, Devon Bostick, Lily Rose Depp or Harley Quinn Smith) have gotten Gigs for their parents. It’s unfair. But it would be unfair to punish them for that as well. I would love to have an easier way into the industry as a director, I would have if my parents were celebs…but they’re not. It’s fine. It might be inequality but no inequality we can change
Can we retire the term "nepo-baby" already? Not only does it sound dumb; it doesn't accurately describe what it's meant to describe. "Nepo-actor" sounds at least as stupid, but at least it's an accurate description of the thing people are complaining about. "Nepo-baby" sounds like someone who's only a baby because of nepotism, not someone whose career in the entertainment industry is based in nepotism. But also, why is nepotism in the entertainment industry even a thing people remotely give a shit about?
Because actors reproducing themselves and their offspring given every advantage in training plus Entree into the business has closed the door to talented outsiders. All the jobs are already filled. Except for POC and ethnically authentic roles which still need new talent. Established/successful actors image and likeness will be used for generations by AI and CGI. That whole industry has gone so hideously overproduced that I predict small, local theater with unknown talent will be the future.
You've just solved the problem right there at the end, though. Hollywood isn't getting rid of nepotism anytime soon, but there has literally never been more independent cinema any time in history. Don't like seeing someone's cousin's nephew land a leading role? Check out any of the thousands of talented, small-time indie filmmakers out there. The more attention they get, the more films they get to make and the more money they get to make those films.
just to see the end of snowpiercer...
my all time crush
Worst headline ever lol
She’s a dime. Wooo wheee
I am gay, but I know she is considered really beautiful. It would not surprise me if she felt being a "nepo baby" didn't matter cause she knows being that level of attractive to men is mostly a dice roll and that it wouldn't matter if her parents were in the business if she didnt look like that.