By: Sahra Mohamed
Nepotism in the entertainment industry is sometimes disguised as stories of hard work, but the reality tells a different story. The privileged access that children of celebrities and industry insiders get, cannot be ignored. Kate Winslet’s daughter, Mia Honey Threapleton, is actually using her dad’s last name but has chosen not to use her mom’s famous surname in auditions, showing she understands how nepotism affects perception. Even if casting directors don’t immediately know who she’s connected to, it doesn’t erase the fact that having a famous parent opens doors and gives opportunities most people don’t have. Getting good auditions is tough on its own, but having access to top-tier acting coaches, casting directors, and mentors is a huge advantage, one that’s really hard to get otherwise, making it easier to land bigger and better roles. For example, Patrick Schwarzenegger’s enthusiasm over landing a role in “The White Lotus” fueled conversations about how his famous lineage, as the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, gives him a platform and industry connections that others lack. This same idea goes beyond acting to music, modeling, and production roles throughout the industry.
The modeling world provides one of the most transparent examples of nepotism. At 19 years old, Kendall Jenner was already making seven figures as a model in 2015. Jenner’s rise illustrates this clearly: while aspiring models wait in freezing cold conditions, hoping for a chance, Kendall has been reported to arrive in luxury vehicles, bypassing lines and moving quickly into high-profile runway shows and campaigns. She frequently credits her own hard work to her success, but this narrative neglects the huge advantage her family name has. This is a recurring theme among celebrity children. According to Business Insider, Kylie Jenner invested $250,000 of her own income earned through modeling and brand endorsements at just 17 years old to launch the first 15,000 lip kits for Kylie Cosmetics. This publicity and platform, along with financial support, speeds up success in ways that aren’t available to people without celebrity ties. Many runway models face the harsh reality of being unpaid, sometimes working for “exposure” rather than compensation. It’s been reported that organizers and designers know they can get away with not paying models because there will always be others willing to participate for free. Models are often told that the attention and exposure are worth more than the actual payment. This system exploits their aspirations and passion for the industry, leaving them without fair compensation for their labor.
On the other side of the spectrum, are many highly talented artists who work tirelessly for decades before receiving recognition, if they ever do. Laverne Cox, for example, had been acting for years before her breakout role in Orange Is the New Black brought her into the public eye. Two-time Oscar nominee Colman Domingo, spent nearly 30 years acting before gaining fame, proving that talent alone doesn’t always lead to visibility or success. Their journeys reveal a gatekeeping system that rewards nepotism and reinforces race and class privilege. Race and pay equity continue to be major issues in Hollywood. Viola Davis has long spoken out about the pay disparities faced by Black actresses. Referred to as the “Black Meryl Streep,” Davis has pointed out the irony of that comparison, saying in a powerful interview, “If there’s no one like me, then pay me what I’m worth.”
A 2023 report from USC’s Annenberg Inclusion, found that white characters made up over half of speaking roles in the top 100 films, while less than 50% were from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, which is close to their share of the U.S. population. Women of color were also left out. Only 14 films had a woman of color in a lead or co-lead role, and just one of them was over 45. Native American, Middle Eastern, Latina, and multiracial women were barely represented at all. Behind the scenes isn’t much better. Only 12% of the top films had women directors, 15% had women writers, and 24% had women producers. These numbers show how hard it is for people without connections, especially women of color, to get noticed and stay in the industry. Nepotism and systemic racism still play a big role in who gets opportunities and who doesn’t. Back in 2020, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was the highest-paid actor globally, earning $87.5 million, whereas the highest-paid Black actress, Viola Davis, earned a fraction of that amount.
A 2022 UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, people of color made up about 42.7% of the U.S. population in 2021 and are projected to become the majority in the coming decades. Despite this, they remained underrepresented in Hollywood, especially during the 2020–21 TV season. Only 27.4% of broadcast scripted TV leads were people of color, less than a 2 to 1 ratio compared to white leads. The gap was even wider among show creators, with just 13.1% of broadcast showrunners coming from people of color. Behind the scenes, representation was also limited: only 30.5% of broadcast writers and 28.8% of broadcast directors were minorities. While cable and digital platforms showed some progress, with people of color making up 39.6% of cable scripted leads and 38% of cable episode directors ,the report still shows how far the industry is from equity. Efforts to address these disparities are slowly gaining traction. During her 2018 Oscars acceptance speech, Frances McDormand called for the use of “inclusion riders”, contractual clauses that require productions to ensure representation of underrepresented groups, both onscreen and behind the scenes. Organizations like the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center (BHERC) push for greater equity, inclusion, and transparency in the film and television industry.
Amanda Seyfried and Kate Hudson’s recent comments on nepotism, which were criticized as tone-deaf, ignore how privilege creates opportunities. Many talented actors, writers, and creators never get their shot because the industry continues to favor familiar names and backgrounds. The claim that “you have to be talented first” overlooks the fact that access to auditions, funding, and publicity depends on having the right network, a luxury most people don’t have. Pay disparities are a major part of systemic inequality. Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson, has openly spoken about her struggles to receive fair pay compared to her white counterparts. According to the Writers Guild of America (WGA) 2024 Inclusion & Equity Report, during the 2023–24 television season, 40% of TV series writers were from BIPOC backgrounds. Women made up 45% of writers overall, with 22.2% being women of color. White writers accounted for 45% of the total. Change is happening, but it’s slow. Some streaming services like Netflix, are supporting more diverse creators and stories, which has led to some great work from Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) artists. To truly end nepotism and inequality in entertainment, everyone in the industry must work together. This means hiring fairly, paying equally, mentoring new talent, and valuing diverse voices. Until these changes happen, many talented artists will stay overlooked, and the industry will keep favoring a small, privileged group, hurting both opportunity and creativity.
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