# Nepotism in Hollywood **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270 "2012-04-19T14:34:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/83 "2015-11-13T01:05:15Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Nancy had more than whatever clout Frank may have brought to bear: she had Lee Hazelwood, which was what made her. True, and he should be better remembered than he is. > [@](#): > > Gerry Lewis wasn’t much more than a creation of his father’s infamous micromanaging, and was only a one hit wonder anyway. Not at all true. He had [Snuff Garrett](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snuff_Garrett) which was even better than having Lee Hazelwood. And the Playboys had seven straight top ten hits (and four more in the Top 40). That’s more than the Byrds and most other famous groups. The only reason he didn’t have more was that he got drafted. He’s not an important name but he was extremely successful and not because of his father. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2015, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/84 "2015-11-13T01:29:08Z")
OK. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/85 "2015-11-14T11:46:58Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/86 "2015-11-14T11:51:15Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Frankly, the idea of someone even as bad as Tori Spelling getting their foot in the door because of family connections doesn’t bother me half as much as someone like Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton getting their own reality series because… forgive me, why did they get their own reality series? Sex tapes…they work wonders. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/87 "2015-11-14T16:06:52Z")
I have long assumed that actors, as a rule, are very nice and patient people, simply because the job looks so amazingly boring. Someone who knows that up front is at an advantage. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/88 "2015-11-14T19:37:22Z")
If your dream is to be an actor or a rock star, your parents will likely say something like “We’ll be supportive if it looks like you have talent and take this seriously, but you really need a backup plan, like law school or an MBA program, in case it doesn’t.” But if your parents actually are entertainment industry insiders, there’s a much better chance you’ll be raised in an environment where the arts are taken a lot more seriously and a career in them is seen as a realistic, attainable goal. In this light, nepotism is actually a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/89 "2015-11-14T21:45:25Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Regarding Sofia Coppola: The only real travesty of hers was **Godfather 3**. She was cast because It Girl _du Jour_ Winona Ryder flaked at the last minute, there was no time for a casting call and daddy went with someone who, at least, would not flake on him. And jeez, it’s not like she didn’t _look_ like a mafia princess! Now, I can go along with Sofia being cast as Michael Corlone’s nephew and godson for the Christening scene in “Godfather”. Even with the blatant nepotism. She looked like an infant boy. But on the other hand, she didn’t look at all like she’d be the younger daughter in “Peggy Sue Got Married”. I thought that was poor casting. And I’m pretty sure Rita Wilson got cast in “That Thing You Do” and “From The Earth To The Moon” due to some casting couch negotiations with the director and/or producer. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/90 "2015-11-15T02:17:48Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > True, and he should be better remembered than he is. > > Not at all true. He had [Snuff Garrett](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snuff_Garrett) which was even better than having Lee Hazelwood. And the Playboys had seven straight top ten hits (and four more in the Top 40). That’s more than the Byrds and most other famous groups. The only reason he didn’t have more was that he got drafted. He’s not an important name but he was extremely successful and not because of his father. No one is successful because of his parents. He gets the opportunity to be successful because of the parents. Say a casting director is looking for a certain type of kid, and the child of an actor walks in for the actor’s audition, or comes to the set. If the kid is close to what is wanted, bingo. And the director knows she’ll not have to deal with unrealistic parents. I’ve seen this happen. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/91 "2015-11-15T05:38:08Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > Emma Roberts got a lot of roles - I’m thinking it was because she was Julia Roberts’ niece. Emma Roberts probably got the starring role in Nickelodeon’s _Unfabulous_ because she was Julia’s niece (and Eric’s daughter). The other roles could have come from producers, or at least casting directors, seeing her in that. Do you think Jane Fonda got very many parts just because she was Henry’s daughter? (Peter, on the other hand…) Jamie Lynn Spears (Britney’s sister) also got a starring role on a Nickelodeon show (_Zoey 101_). How many movies has she been in recently? Having the name does not always work. On the other hand, both Kenan Thompson and Nick Cannon also got their starts on Nick, without family help. My theory is, the kids see the parent(s) act and want to get in on it, especially if the parents can afford to send the kids to decent acting coaches and drama schools. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/92 "2015-11-15T23:54:42Z")
I’m on both sides of this argument as I can fully understand and agree with both. But if I had to go with one side I would agree with the OP. I have to say it does sometimes piss me off but what also annoys me is that every Tom, Dick and Harry in Hollywood’s daughter nowadays goes on to become a model. Has anyone noticed that? Not just movie stars but music artists, read an article about their daughter and she is now a fashion model. I’m fairly young and I don’t know if this happened decades ago, but it seems to happen a lot with celeb daughters, unless she is very below average in looks. Getting your foot in the door and some exposure is the first and biggest hurdle. And many unfortunately never get that because they were born into the “wrong” family. As others pointed out there countless examples of those offspring who in the end did not amount to shiat despite family connections because they just sucked. Same with offspring of music artists. We should make a thread of those who never made it big despite being born into the industry. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270/93 "2015-11-16T00:00:53Z")
OK, I have to ask: does this happen on the other side of the hills in the porn industry? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nepotism-in-hollywood/619270.md?page=4)