It’s All in the Family: Hollywood Nepotism

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Casting, Celebrity Gossip, Filmmaking

In most places of business, nepotism is frowned upon. In Hollywood, it’s part of standard casting policies. Why is it okay for La La Land to offer opportunities to unknown - but well-connected - actors, when hiring regulations are in place for every other industry in the country? Let’s dip our toes into the Tinseltown gene pool and see how many family trees we can count.

If you haven’t heard by now, Will Smith’s son is going to become the next A-list, must-have child star. He’s starring in the new Karate Kid reboot (a movie that’s unnecessary at best), and now he’s putting his rapping abilities on display in a movie soundtrack tie-in. Like it’s not already great being Will Smith’s kid, Jaden, 11, is now forging a strong career in the “family business.” Which just happens to be multi-million-dollar movie and recording contracts. Nice.

Is Jaden Smith the most talented kid for the movie role? Are his rap skills so superior that he deserves the outpouring of press he’s been getting for his involvement with the film’s theme song?

Frankly, it doesn’t f&*^ing matter. The Karate Kid reboot (which, we hate to break it to you, does

feature karate) is produced by Will Smith and from its inception was intended as a Jaden Smith vehicle. No one else ever auditioned for the role of the Karate Kid, not that anyone else had a snowball’s shot in hell of landing it anyway.

Hollywood has always been the land where dreams come true…if you’ve already got an “in.”

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Will Smith’s Nepotism Streak Continues

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Columbia Pictures, Drama, Casting, Upcoming Releases

First, he introduced son Jaden to theatergoers in The Pursuit of Happyness.  Then he let daughter Willow take on a much smaller role in last year’s I Am Legend.  Now another kid will be participating in a Will Smith movie: Connor Cruise.

Yes, I know.  Connor is not exactly related to Will.  (He’s actually Tom Cruise‘s adopted son.)  But that doesn’t make the whole situation smell any less nepotistic to me.

In Seven Pounds, Will Smith stars as a man who affects the lives of seven strangers.  Connor, in a minor part, will play a younger version of the main character.

Click to continue reading Will Smith’s Nepotism Streak Continues

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