Most celebrities are out of touch with reality, that much comes as no surprise. However, there seems to be an even larger disconnect than usual when the debate surrounds the year’s biggest buzzword: nepotism. A good portion of Hollywood stars come from families of actors and other industry players, but most refuse to acknowledge just how definitive of a role that connection plays in their success.
The latest example of this is Jurassic World actress Bryce Dallas Howard‘s Instagram post, in which she shares her insight with “aspiring artists and fellow dreamers” on how to make it as an actor. Her main thesis seems to be that to achieve success in the industry, you must become a “multi-hyphenate,” which means acquiring other job titles like director, writer, and producer, so you can create your own work.
As many have pointed out, Howard’s argument is flawed in one major way: she forgets to mention her dad is two-time Oscar-winning director Ron Howard. Surely, that must have helped in at least getting her foot in the door. As a matter of fact, the actress’s first four roles were in films directed by her father – Parenthood, Apollo 13, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and none other than A Beautiful Mind. She was basically born on a film set.
No one is saying Bryce Dallas Howard is untalented. Even “nepo babies” can’t go very far without genuine skill – at least not in a trajectory as fine as Howard’s. But to sell the idea that it’s easy for other people to achieve her level of success if they just follow her tips, without acknowledging her very obvious head-start, is at best misleading, and at worst manipulative.
In Howard’s defense, she has been clear in the past that being Ron Howard’s daughter puts her in a “privileged situation.” Often, the argument used by descendants of stars is that it becomes even harder to prove yourself because people will always associate you with someone else. Howard, however, has no doubt in her mind that “it’s a total advantage.” As the actress told The Chicago Tribune in 2019: “It’s about getting in the door and so few people get a chance to walk through that door.” Maybe that Instagram post really was just an instance of miscommunication.