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Plenty of struggling actors have a good work ethic but don’t have powerful/successful mommies and daddies giving them a foot in the door, Meg.
It’s not dismissive to call him a nepo baby. It’s just a reflection of reality. It doesn’t make him a bad actor, it’s just acknowledging he was privileged by being the son of two very famous actors. Besides, [puts on Jeff Foxworthy mustache] If the biggest hardship you face in your life is being called a “nepo baby” then you just might be a nepo baby
Exactly. If he was a bad actor it would be totally different. But he's fine. And his parents are two of the top actors of their generation... He's simply a nepo baby. It is what it is.
I would be grateful to be in a position to be called a nepo baby. That means my life is pretty good and I wouldn't want to struggle unnecessarily if I don't have to.
Nothing wrong with it, but call a spade a spade.
Exactly. Call a Quaid a Quaid!
A society that gaslights itself with the lie of being based on meritocracy requires them to engage in these mental gymnastics.
I like Jack, he’s a good actor. But he, most likely, would not be acting today if it wasn’t for his parents
I like what I've seen of Jack Quaid's work well enough and, no matter my opinion of his parents' output, they certainly made a life for themselves.
What gets me is that people conflate work ethics, opportunity, and talent as merit for success. Loads of actors with equal "work ethic" to the ones we see on screens are unable to find full time work as actors. Same in other sectors where opportunities are outnumbered by candidates.
In no way can I accept that the son of two film stars "deserve" his opportunities more than anybody who has trained as hard, has the same amount of talent (however you measure that), and who probably only has a menial job to fall back on if they don't get the part. That is not Jack Quaid's fault, though, nor do I think his parents at any point stopped to think "Y'know, imma pull a nepo for Jack".
I do think Meg Ryan turns a blind eye on the structural advantages that her son has had growing up as he has. It will never hurt an upcoming actor to share a last name and possible likeness with established stars but, more importantly, actors' kids grow up knowing what agents are, where to get headshots, how much time goes into auditioning and networking — and through their parents' friends and colleagues they have ample opportunity to climb the ladder faster than others who have to elbow themselves into acting circles from the outside.
So on the one hand children of actors know the ropes from square one, or have seasoned professionals who will mentor them. At the same time, they will probably have opportunities offered to them from producers, directors or casting agents who want to curry favour with their more famous parents. Dismissing those obvious advantages is so tone deaf and privileged that Ryan really undermines her own argument.
It reminds me of a headline I saw yesterday about Tiger Wood's son winning a high school national championship golf tournament. It made me wonder how many other kids have a similar base talent, and how would they fare if, from the day they were born, they had his access to the absolute best training technology and instructors on the planet, including his father's unmatched experience in the non-technical aspects of winning tournaments guiding him.
Exactly. And just the fact that Wood Jr makes headlines for a frigging high school trophy plays into systemic/structural nepotism — where media and audiences alike love and enforce the lineage narratives — that might encourage or even pressure him into a sports career.
Mooooom people are bein' mean about those jobs u got me!
I'll still look forward to watching The Boys, Star Trek, and Superman, though.
Poor little rich kid.
Never heard of him, but now I'm like "oh Jack Quaid, nepo baby".
If I were him only thing worse than being called a nepo baby would be my mom coming out publicly to tell people not to call me a nepo baby. That's like further drawing anything to the issue and as embarrassing as a student would be of their parents loudly telling everyone in school to not be bullies.
Yep, sounds like the Streisand effect. I've been watching him on The Boys for the last four years and never realized he was Jack Quaid as in Dennis Quaid's kid. And I certainly didn't realize his mother was Meg Ryan.
"Don't call my baby a nepo baby!"
"Wait, the guy from The Boys is Meg Ryan's kid?" lol
Same I know him from The Boys and never thought of him as the nepo baby, but now I'll always be reminded of that. Didn't know he was Meg Ryan's kid either.
He's a voice actor/lead on lower decks (animated trek show) I liked him without knowing one of his parents ever got mail... so he holds his own, but privilege is privilege... He's not not a nepo baby.
I keep hearing good things about that show.
Badgey is waiting for you, whenever you're ready!
Have you seen The Boys? He's the lead character of the anti-supes team.
Aww, Boims!
I had no idea that was Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid's kid.
All was forgiven when he rolled a natural Bog.