Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Michael Douglas “resents” the term ‘nepo baby’.
The 82-year-old actor, the son of late Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas, has revealed that he finds it frustrating when his own children – Cameron, 47, who he has with ex-wife Diandra Luker, and Dylan, 26, and Carys, 23, whom he has with spouse Catherine Zeta-Jones – are labelled with the term.
In an interview with The Sunday Times newspaper, Michael said: “For the number of so-called ‘nepos’, there were very few people I could think of that had the kind of career my father and I had.
“(The term has a) snotty tone to it I really kind of resent.”
The Wall Street star highlighted the double standards when it comes to nepotism in Hollywood compared to other industries.
Michael said: “In every other business, every mother and father helps their kids. We know all the companies, the names are ‘so and so and son, or daughter’.
“In every other business everybody else, in relation, is required to have the same success or continuity. Whereas in this one, you’re criticised for being the same.”
The Fatal Attraction star’s criticism of the term comes after he was recently branded as the “ultimate nepo baby” by Zeta-Jones, his wife of more than 25 years.
Catherine told BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour: “If it was any other industry whether it be finance or business, or if you’re a lawyer, or I know all my grown-up surgeon doctor friends have kids going into that industry, and they don’t get labelled.
“I think, more importantly, I’m married to the ultimate nepo baby. My husband was the son of Kirk Douglas, the son of Spartacus, you know? And he’s done pretty good on his own.
“And so I think it’s unfortunate that with the intense scrutiny young people have, not just my kids or celebrity kids, just generally, they get slaughtered by AI images of perfection, or this and that. They don’t need another tag, I think it’s very unfortunate.”
Many people feel that the children of celebrities have advantages that other aspiring performers do not have access to but the Chicago star claims that the situation is “quite opposite”.
The 57-year-old actress said: “No, no, no quite opposite. First of all, they have so much to prove.
“That ‘Oh! It’s in your genes, it’s in your blood.’ It’s like, ‘No, actually I have a true passion and love of the craft.’ “
