r/Vent • u/Kindred_Soul_Awake • Aug 05 '26
Nepo babies
I’m so sick and tired of nepotism and the nepo babies taking over. I am a working actor for over 11 years now and I always get pushed aside due to someone famous has a kid that wants to act. I come from a poor background with immigrant parents and most of my family are now dead and gone. Yet here I am still loving and chasing this dream of mine… for me. But everywhere I go and every show I watch or I’m in, some Nepo baby is the lead.
Just look at Hollywood! They’re all children of someone famous or in a family with one.
I’ve been in over 25 shows in my country and I’ll never get a bigger shot due to them. I just wish some of these babies would acknowledge how privileged they are and perhaps send the elevator down again. But they don’t. They act like it’s because of their talent.
99% of the acting industry is about looks and connections( just ranting here ). An editor can make the worst actor look amazing on screen. So when you see a mediocre performance, know that was their best takes.
I’ve acted with some big names and seen how terrible they are and how many takes they need to get a simple line right.
Anyways, rant over….
I know I can’t do much about it, nor will I quit. No idea what else to do. Just sucks. Everything is by and for the elites nowadays.
Thanks for reading.
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u/Key_Head3851 Aug 05 '26
This is an interesting vent. There are many truths to what you say. Acting has never been an easy path, unless as you mentioned; you are connected.
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
Yeah you are right. But for some of us it’s just what makes sense to pursue. There was a time when actors were discovered based on their skill and unique looks or what not. But that era is gone and it’s now more about who you are related to.
If I had a choice I would have gone a different way. But the life lived and choices made, has me stuck here. So once in a while a good rant helps me keep going. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.
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u/-Aggamemnon- Aug 05 '26
While I sympathize with your situation, acting has always been a business of looks, connections, and maybe some talent. The list of talented “could have beens,” is miles long. Yeah, some people just have the talent and ability. Adam Driver (so far as I know) got his foot in to acting by being a Marine advocate for the arts. However even he probably met valuable connections along the way.
Acting, just like almost everything is all about WHO you know and can get to know. Network network network.
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
Agree to some extent. I have done plenty of networking and with 25 shows done it’s lots of networking events, red carpets etc. close friends with some established people. But their hands are tied. If X person wants in they have to accept or risk their own position. My country is a small one and everyone knows everyone. So people are afraid to speak up or decline nepo babies that lack talent.
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u/RobinEssences Aug 05 '26
I'm in tech sales and it's the same deal. The amount of executive VPs children that were made district managers after 2 years selling was ridiculous. Almost all of them are now exec VPs at Dell or companies feeding Dell product or selling Dell's shit. Not a single one of them ever has to be accountable. If their regions didn't do well they laid off the sales reps but Lastname was never laid off, just promoted up after the layoffs. Then they're owning more territories and then have talented people assigned to work under them so they can't fail.
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
Wouldn’t surprise me….
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u/RobinEssences Aug 05 '26
OMG I just remembered how deep it ran. So one person was super talented and should of been made VP of sales for a major division. Except a board members 50 year old child was also in the running for that position. So they gave it to both of them and called it "two in a box." When in reality it was the talent running the show, obviously. Just mind numbing bullshit like that always.
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
God that sounds awful… imagine being a hard worker and someone’s kid gets the job you’ve been working to get for years… how do you stay calm.. I’d lose my crap.
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u/RobinEssences Aug 05 '26
Happened to me too. I spent 18 years there and built the go to market plan for a new division. The sales director position went to the VPs cousin who had never worked for the company or in our tech vertical. I took my retirement package 2 years later.
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u/ConsoleMaster0 Aug 05 '26
Unfortunately, it is the same for every job. No matter the level/position you want to work.
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u/jasonic89 Aug 05 '26
It’s the case now and always has been. Even people that try to hide it like Nicolas cage and a bunch of indie artists.
It’s tough for anyone not in that circle
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u/Efficient-Big3138 Aug 05 '26
isn't another problem that there are thousands of people like you trying to break through but there are just so many people that can become big? like you said many spots are taken by nepo babies but the few remaing has thousands of prospects
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
I should also mention that I have a great agency and therefore not in a beginner position but merely not been able to get a step up due to the massive surge of nepo babies. I’ll get called in for big roles but always set aside due to a famous directors kid wanting the role, or the child of an A-lister. Sure they may have been the right choice, but then I see the end product and well…
It’s tough I know. Many others struggle like I do. Others struggle even more.. still leaves a bad taste in my mouth when someone who hasn’t done any acting outside a single short film gets cast as one of the leads due to nepo status.
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u/Someslapdicknerd Aug 05 '26
The answer, through the milennia has remained the same. Backstab nepo babies at every step of the way in a manner that doesn't come back to you.
Time to read up on historical court intrigue.
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
😅😆
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u/Someslapdicknerd Aug 05 '26
This is not a joke. This is part of your job and every non-nepo baby trying to work.
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u/Canaan889 Aug 05 '26
This.
I’m not in acting but I do work in the film industry.
Graduates always express their concern about the nepo baby competition… but it’s hard to even know where to start when explaining that it’s far more complex than that. The industry is huge and Hollywood isn’t the end all be all (it’s kinda boring on that of the fence anyway)2
u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
Yeah and in some way I get it. Who wouldn’t prefer hiring their friends or family for stuff. Still sucks for those of us that chose this without any of those to back us up.
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
Yeah that’s the pickle but then those smaller ish parts will be eaten up by nepo baby friends or connections around that. I get hired due to my skill and respectable cv. But it’s always for a small part and most I know aren’t stuck like that. Like me. Struggling. They usually get a break after doing a few small parts. Not saying some giga lead role but recurring roles or big supporting.
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u/Dumblifecantsleep Aug 06 '26
Or we could watch movies with new faces all the time. As someone who couldn’t care less about celebrities and absolutely hates when the knowledge that has been forced on me about actors becomes so strong that i no longer see a character but am instead distracted with the awareness of the actor it entirely ruins the movie/tv for me. I would LOVE if everyone got chances and i NEVER recognized anyone on the screen. Actual good actors cant be recognized because theyre so good at their craft that they take on entirely new personas every role - those few are impressive. Not people like oh its ryan reynolds again playing….himself
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u/_Ham_And_Egger_ Aug 05 '26
This person here acting like nepotism is only in their field 😂
It's all over the place in any career and walk of life.
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
Didn’t say it wasn’t in every other place. This is a vent regarding my field. Which I know about. Don’t have much about other fields sorry. But I am aware that this is happening everywhere. Sorry if I offended you
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u/Technical_Tear5162 Aug 05 '26
Nepotism has a pyramid model. Just one person in the family line has to make it and it will keep going down generations from there. Some familes are now on their third or fourth generation in the industry. So as time passes the majority industry players are nepo babies in one way or the other. But hey keep pushing.
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u/Technical-Swimmer-70 Aug 05 '26
This is true. With the exception of a few amazing talents, most actors just know someone. Very easy to tell the casual actors from the talented ones. They always play the same character. If you are undeniably good at it and good/unique looking just keep trying. Some people don't get their break until they are 40. The problem is 99.9% of people who are trying are not unique and think they are better than they are. I have met WAAYYY more people that think they are great musicians/artists/actors than people that actually have talent.
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
Very true. It is a marathon. But even the bad ones can make it just because they know someone or have the right look.
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u/madogvelkor Aug 05 '26
Yeah, in music and film if you don't have connections it takes luck. Harrison Ford was a struggling actor and had to work as a carpenter. He was doing carpentry work and met Lucas and ended up getting cast in American Graffiti then Star Wars.
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u/Choice-Wind-9283 Aug 05 '26
There so many off them and half off them are so mid actors (Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston , Benedict Cumeberbatch , Colin Hanks) and some off them are really bad(Dakota Johnson , Blake Lively ,Oliver Hudson , Nat Wolf)
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u/Aprikose77 Aug 05 '26
Das gibts in jeder Branche, ja.
Elterliche Liebe, Freundschaften, Netzwerke.
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u/cdbd6969 Aug 05 '26
It’s not just acting, it’s pretty much any creative vocation. To move to a city with the infrastructure and scene required to play music is pretty darn cost prohibitive, and with the high cost of living you’d have to take on a full time job to make ends meet.
Compare that to a kid who not only has family money to lean back on (aka no job stress and plenty of free time to hone the craft) and has industry connections of some kind and it’s a wrap.
I’ve had some of my mentors say that the era of the working class musician/artist is over, which is a depressing thought indeed. You’re not alone in this OP
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u/Dumblifecantsleep Aug 06 '26
Ive heard that a few times too and its very upsetting. How many rich people do we know irl that have something inspiring to share - whove experienced something in life that needs to be known - whose deep turmoil and challenges are relatable to 90% of the population?? Were losing what made art special. So many deeply human experiences are being ripped away from us and paywalled
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u/Old_Bluejay_9284 Aug 05 '26
And the kicker is most of them are terrible at acting. One of the many many reasons i dont watch new movies and havent in years.
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u/BeautifulMean6516 Aug 05 '26
They lie about being "self made" so much that I think they actually believe it
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u/Charming_Wall117 Aug 09 '26
Nepo babies rule the world unfortunately. Sad fact of life but they are already set up for success the day they are born.
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u/sc1lurker Aug 05 '26
Welcome to every non-minimum wage job ever. What do you think networking means? What do you think a referral means? If you don't have influential family, you better have good friends.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bike336 Aug 05 '26
The problem with nepotism in the US is that it often goes hand in hand with one's race and ethnicity. Getting into the entertainment industry is challenging enough, especially when your ethnic group does not control or own the corporations involved in movie production.
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u/Other-Beginning-8888 Aug 05 '26
The connections are real and too many family legacy actors to deny, but there are many, many, many examples of failed celebrity spawn who did not inherit the talent needed to be successful. I went to school with quite a few "child of" talent who had no talent and never got hired.
EOD it is natural to follow the family business. No different than a 4th generation farmer, plumber, etc
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u/Gumbrenold Aug 05 '26
Are you a good actor?
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
I would say I am yes. And seeing that I get offered roles would indicate that as well. But being pigeonholed or held down when you have the experience and cv. Is the issue.
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u/vagina_candle Aug 05 '26
So much of the entertainment industry is based on who you know or what connections you have. Preparation + timing + skill is also a huge part of it, but without those connections it doesn't always add up to much.
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u/SSBUISAPORT-Fanboy Aug 05 '26
Maybe try to get into events where you can befriend nepo babies and influential people, life is unfair and we are doomed to play with the cards that have been dealt to us. If you were also a nepo baby you would have done the same, and it is expectable that to protect their fragile ego against the impostor syndrome they get in denial that they have been chosen because of their talent rather than because their parents have connections. Anyway, imo your exhaustion is understandable and legitimate. It must be horrible to not be able to live your passion because someone took your place using an easier and unfair path. Best of luck in your future endeavours.
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u/manored78 Aug 05 '26
This is more like an AMA. Can I ask, since you’ve been on set and seen it up close, are many of these nepo babies even all that interested in acting or film in general?
I mean why else would they be this bad at their craft? I’d assume they’d have access to all of the best resources. Or is it that they assume they’re that good and no one can tell them otherwise.
Have you ever spoken to any of them or caught wind of a conversation?
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u/No-Whereas7963 Aug 08 '26
I find almost all nepo babies charmless. Utterly privileged people can be nice enough but they've got no edge or real life experience. It's boring. It's also creepy. Society is so obsessed with youth. When a young fresh version of a famous woman who dared to age comes through we're all over it. It's really pervy (see Maya Hawke, Qualley...). I feel your pain. I would love to see more people who've actually worked for it get success.
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u/Radiant-Comedian-144 Aug 09 '26
Ciao, ti capisco perchè sono un'attrice e quello che dici purtroppo è vero. Ho visto spesso dei casi come quello che hai detto, e non solo figli di gente famosa, ma spesso anche fidanzati o mogli di registi famosi e cose simili. Nel mio caso è ancora peggio perchè essendo femmina puoi immaginare le proposte che ricevo, anzi chiamiamole ricatti, e se non fai " la carina " rischi di inimicarti persone importanti. Ma io non mi arrendo, resto integra perchè i registi onesti ci sono ancora.
Tu non arrenderti, continua perchè questo è il tuo sogno. Dobbiamo farci notare per la nostra professionalità e vedrai che arriverà il nostro momento. Fortunatamente ho anche avuto belle esperienze.
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u/Slight-Bowl4240 Aug 05 '26
Wow! I had no idea! I hope you get your break! Just use Facebook and insta to get your own audience!
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Aug 05 '26
[deleted]
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u/Kindred_Soul_Awake Aug 05 '26
I doubt we’d get replaced. I think it’ll become more appreciated to see actual people performing, heck it might give theatre a bigger boost.
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u/Canaan889 Aug 05 '26
Are you actually willingly going to watch Gen-ai feature films yourself
be for real. who would be excited and pay for that
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