Jack Quaid says he agrees with those who call him a ‘nepo baby’
The actor – whose parents are film stars Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid – made the comments in a podcast interview with The Daily Beast earlier this week.
“I mean, no matter what I do, people are going to call attention to it,” he said of the “nepo baby” label.
“People have called me a ‘nepo baby.’ I’m inclined to agree. I am an immensely privileged person, was able to get representation pretty early on, and that’s more than half the battle.”
“I knew the door was open for me in a lot of ways that it’s just not for a lot of actors,” he said of his background, adding that he has tried to “work as hard as I possibly can to prove that I deserve to walk through that door.”
Quaid’s father has remarked in the past that his son wanted to make his own way without any assistance from his parents.
“My agent wanted to represent him and he said ‘no, I want to do it on my own,’” explained the elder Quaid during an appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” in 2020.
“And then, of course, he gets an agent on his own and his first movie is ‘Hunger Games.’”
Quaid made his acting debut in the role of Marvel, a tribute from District 1, in the first “Hunger Games” film, released in 2012.
His mother, Ryan, also chimed in on the “nepo baby” discourse in an interview with Glamour magazine last year. “Jack is really talented. He’s more of a natural than I’ll ever be,” she said of her son. “That nepo stuff is so dismissive of his work ethic, his gifts, and how sensitive he is to the idea of his privilege.”
Quaid was asked by the podcast if he ever considered following in the romantic comedy footsteps of his mother, who is known for classics like “When Harry Met Sally,” “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve Got Mail.”
“My mom is the undisputed queen of rom-coms,” said Quaid. “I can’t just get into that space, it’s got to be right. It’s got to be something that feels different enough from what she’s done.”
Despite his success in the industry, Quaid's acting career has not been without its criticisms, such as being labeled a "nepo baby" due to his famous parents. This label, however, hasn't deterred him from his passion for entertainment, as he mentioned, "I have to work as hard as I possibly can to prove that I deserve to walk through that door."
Furthermore, the discussion of nepotism in the entertainment industry extended to Quaid's mother as well, with Meg Ryan speaking out against the label in an interview with Glamour magazine, emphasizing her son's talents and work ethic.
