Tom Hanks Slams Hollywood’s ‘Nepo Baby’ Issue, Says It’s A ‘Family Business’ For Him

Jan 11, 2023 by apost team

Tom Hanks has established an incredible career, starring in more than 80 films over the years. So, to say Hanks has made only a few great films would be an understatement, considering he has numerous well-loved blockbusters and award-winning films under his belt. 

Some of Hanks's most notable films include "Sleepless In Seattle," "Apollo 13," "Philadelphia," "Forrest Gump" and the "Toy Story" franchise. 

Hanks has shown his wide range as an actor over his four decades in the film industry as he has played a variety of characters and showcased just how capable and adaptable he can be. Along with this, he has also proven himself as a producer, screenwriter and director for a plethora of films and television shows.

Hanks’s impressive career has made him a favorite with both fans and critics, as he has won a litany of awards and accolades, and he is easily one of the most beloved actors in the industry today. 

Aside from being hailed as “America’s dad,” Hanks also has a mighty family of his own. He is wed to Rita Wilson, and they are a well-known power couple in Hollywood. The couple has two sons together, Chet and Truman, while Hanks has two children from a previous relationship, Colin and Elizabeth. All of them in the family are actors, have tried acting at one point in time, or work in the entertainment industry behind the scenes.

While having celebrity parents is something that people would actually desire, no one wants to live in the shadows of them. But somehow, it's inevitable, especially if you have one of the most famous parents in the world. 

In a January 2023 interview with The Sun, Hanks spoke out about his stance on the ever-evolving issue that surrounds nepotism in the entertainment industry that got everyone talking on social media in the latter part of 2022. 

On Dec. 19, 2022, Vulture published a now-controversial article titled “How A Nepo Baby Is Born.” The lengthy report, summarized in painstaking detail the concept of how children of celebrities or prominent people in the entertainment industry were given a head start on their careers, almost by birthright. 

“TikTokers produced multipart series about nepo babies who resembled their famous parents, exposés on people you didn’t know were nepo babies (everyone knew), and PSAs urging celebrity parents to roast their nepo babies ‘to keep them humble,’” the article read. “Like psoriasis, the label was something you were born with, and those who had it found it equally irritating.”

The conversation on nepotism babies blew up when a user found out that an actress on HBO’s “Euphoria," Maude Apatow, is actually the daughter of actress Leslie Mann and director Judd Apatow. Since then, the internet has researched and fallen into a rabbit hole identifying which artists are children, nieces, nephews, or relatives of other industry figures. 

Zoe Kravitz, the daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet said that the label gave her “deep insecurity.” Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis’ daughter Lily-Rose Depp was even subjected to harsh criticism online from her fellow models. Artists like Gwyneth Paltrow, Hailey Bieber, Kate Hudson, Jamie Lee Curtis and even Lily Allen had expressed their sentiments on the issue. 

Since the issue blew up, celebrities who have parents and relatives breathing the same air in Hollywood, could not go through an interview without being asked their thoughts about the very divisive issue. 

Hanks, whose children are also in the entertainment industry, expressed what he thought of the topic very candidly in an interview with The Sun. 

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Hanks’ eldest child, Colin, is a Primetime Emmy nominated actor who has starred in various titles both in films and television before. Chet, on the other hand, starred in Fox’s music drama “Empire,” among other television stints. 

Promoting his film “A Man Called Otto,” Hanks weighed in on the nepotism issue that had Hollywood actors frustrated. 

“Look this is a family business. This is what we’ve been doing forever. It’s what all of our kids grew up in,” he told The Sun. “If we were a plumbing supply business or if we ran the florist shop down the street, the whole family would be putting in time at some point, even if it was just inventory at the end of the year.”

But for Hanks, it is still about the quality of work that any “nepo baby” would put on the table:

“The thing that doesn’t change no matter what happens, no matter what your last name is, is whether it works or not. That’s the issue anytime any of us go off and try to tell a fresh story or create something that has a beginning and a middle and an end. Doesn’t matter what our last names are. We have to do the work in order to make that a true and authentic experience for the audience.”

However, Hanks’ defense wasn’t well received online. In a Reddit thread, many have poked fun at the actor’s statement, like any other celebrity responses that came before him. 

“Meh, I’m tired of the discourse already. Obviously, he’s gonna defend his kids,” a user posted. 

“Why am I always surprised by the fragility of rich, famous people? You’d think fame and the pressures of working in a crazy industry would toughen them up a little and give them thicker skin,” another posted. 

Do you agree that “nepo babies” are given a head start on their careers? What do you think of Tom Hanks’ statements? Do you agree or disagree with him? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other loved ones.