“Nepo Babies” Actors who Don’t Deserve the Hate They Get
There’s a lot of noise around “nepo babies,” but the term often flattens real careers into a single talking point. Plenty of male actors with famous parents have put in the years—training, auditions, smaller parts—before landing roles people know them for. Looking at the basics—family ties, early jobs, and verifiable milestones—gives a clearer picture of how these careers actually unfolded.
Below are 20 male actors who come from entertainment families. For each, you’ll find the confirmed family connections, a snapshot of early work, and major credits or accolades that mark the path they’ve carved. Sources are included so you can check the details yourself.
Jack Quaid
Jack Quaid is the son of actors Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. He made his screen debut in ‘The Hunger Games’ and later broke out on television as Hughie Campbell in ‘The Boys’, while also doing voice work in projects like ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’.
Outside of acting, his extended family includes entertainer Randy Quaid. His filmography spans live-action and voice roles across film and TV, underscoring steady work since the early 2010s.
John David Washington
John David Washington is the son of Denzel Washington and Pauletta Washington. Before acting, he played college football at Morehouse and signed with the St. Louis Rams, later transitioning to acting with roles in projects like ‘Ballers’ and leading parts in films including ‘BlacKkKlansman’ and ‘Tenet’.
His career shows a pivot from professional sports to screen, with consistent television work preceding major film leads. His background and early credits are well-documented in industry databases and biographies.
O’Shea Jackson Jr.
O’Shea Jackson Jr. is the eldest son of rapper-actor Ice Cube. He portrayed his father in ‘Straight Outta Compton’, which was his feature debut, and has since appeared in films and series across genres, including ‘Ingrid Goes West’ and ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’.
Beyond acting, he has music credits under the name OMG. His work spans studio features and streaming series, reflecting activity in both film and television since the mid-2010s.
Wyatt Russell
Wyatt Russell is the son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. Before acting full-time, he played ice hockey at a high level, then shifted to screen roles in projects such as ‘Lodge 49’, ‘Overlord’, and Marvel’s ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’.
His family connections include siblings Oliver and Kate Hudson and grandfather Bing Russell. Interviews and profiles also note his competitive hockey background and the move from sports to acting.
Colin Hanks
Colin Hanks is the son of Tom Hanks and Samantha Lewes. He has built a steady TV and film résumé with credits including ‘Fargo’, ‘Dexter’, and ‘The Good Guys’, along with documentary work behind the camera.
His early life and family ties, including stepmother Rita Wilson and half-brothers Chet and Truman, are well-sourced. His roles span comedy and drama across network, cable, and streaming.
Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller is the son of comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. He started making short mockumentaries and went on to create ‘The Ben Stiller Show’, which earned a Primetime Emmy for writing, before headlining and directing hit comedies.
Beyond front-of-camera work, Stiller has extensive producing and directing credits across film and television. His family’s multigenerational entertainment background is widely documented in reliable biographies.
Josh Brolin
Josh Brolin is the son of actor James Brolin and wildlife activist Jane Cameron Agee. He first drew notice in ‘The Goonies’ and later earned an Oscar nomination for ‘Milk’, with major roles in films from ‘No Country for Old Men’ to ‘Avengers: Endgame’.
Profiles of the Brolin family outline the household’s ties to film and television and track Josh Brolin’s career from teen roles to awards-recognized performances.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal is the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, and the brother of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. He started acting as a child and has since led films across genres, from ‘Donnie Darko’ to ‘Nightcrawler’.
Coverage of the Gyllenhaal family highlights a filmmaking household and charts Jake’s progression from early appearances—including projects directed by his father—to sustained leading roles.
Domhnall Gleeson
Domhnall Gleeson is one of two actor sons of Brendan Gleeson. He has worked in film and theatre, with wide-ranging credits including ‘Ex Machina’, ‘About Time’, and the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy.
The Gleeson family has collaborated on stage—father and sons appeared together in ‘The Walworth Farce’—and Domhnall’s screen work spans independent features and major franchises.
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is the son of actors Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas. He became widely known on TV through ’24’ and has a filmography that stretches back decades, with roles in titles like ‘Stand by Me’ and ‘The Lost Boys’.
His mother’s career and activism, as well as his father’s long list of film credits, are well recorded, giving clear context to his family’s place in screen history. Recent obituaries and tributes also note the family connections.
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage was born Nicolas Kim Coppola, the nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola and actress Talia Shire. Early in his career he appeared in films connected to his extended family before forging a prolific path under his stage name.
His lineage within the Coppola family—including cousins Sofia and Roman Coppola and actor Jason Schwartzman—is extensively documented, alongside his awards and genre-spanning roles.
Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas is the son of actors Kirk Douglas and Diana Douglas. He established himself in both film and television, notably producing ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and starring in films such as ‘Wall Street’ and ‘Basic Instinct’.
Biographical sources underscore his parents’ careers and his own achievements as actor-producer, reflecting a family with deep roots in Hollywood.
Patrick Schwarzenegger
Patrick Schwarzenegger is the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and journalist-author Maria Shriver. He has built a screen résumé in series and films, including roles in ‘The Staircase’, ‘American Sports Story’, and ‘The White Lotus’.
Reports and profiles detail his Kennedy-Shriver and Schwarzenegger family ties, while tracking a growing list of television and film credits.
Jason Schwartzman
Jason Schwartzman is the son of actress Talia Shire and producer Jack Schwartzman and a member of the Coppola family. He made his film debut in ‘Rushmore’ and has frequently collaborated with Wes Anderson in films such as ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ and ‘Asteroid City’.
His extended family includes Sofia and Roman Coppola and cousin Nicolas Cage. Reliable biographies map those connections alongside his parallel music career as Coconut Records.
Jack Huston
Jack Huston is part of the Huston filmmaking dynasty, the great-grandson of Walter Huston and grandson of director John Huston. He has appeared in projects including ‘Boardwalk Empire’, ‘Ben-Hur’, and ‘American Hustle’.
The Huston family’s multi-generation involvement in film is a staple of Hollywood history, placing Jack’s career within a well-documented lineage of actors and filmmakers.
Scott Eastwood
Scott Eastwood, born Scott Reeves, is the son of actor-director Clint Eastwood and flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves. He has acted in films such as ‘Fury’, ‘The Longest Ride’, ‘Suicide Squad’, and ‘Fast X’, and has appeared in several of his father’s projects.
Biographical entries trace his early life between California and Hawaii, his degree from Loyola Marymount, and his path through supporting and ensemble roles into franchises.
Max Irons
Max Irons is the son of actors Jeremy Irons and Sinéad Cusack and a grandson of actors Cyril and Maureen Cusack. His screen credits include ‘The White Queen’, ‘The Host’, and the spy series ‘Condor’.
His training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and wider family of performers—including aunts Niamh and Sorcha Cusack—are detailed in standard references.
Lewis Pullman
Lewis Pullman is the son of actor Bill Pullman and dancer Tamara Hurwitz. He has appeared in films and series such as ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, ‘Bad Times at the El Royale’, and ‘Outer Range’.
People-profile reporting and biographies outline his family background in the arts and the mix of big-screen and streaming work in his growing filmography.
Cooper Hoffman
Cooper Hoffman is the son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and producer Mimi O’Donnell. He made his acting debut in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Licorice Pizza’, earning significant awards attention, and has continued to book lead roles, including an upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘The Long Walk’.
Interviews chart his entry into acting, the influence of his parents’ careers, and his subsequent casting in new film projects following that debut.
Michael Gandolfini
Michael Gandolfini is the son of the late James Gandolfini. After early roles, he portrayed a young Tony Soprano in ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ and later joined Marvel’s ‘Daredevil: Born Again’, while continuing to appear in features.
Press coverage has tracked his choices regarding future ‘Sopranos’ stories and his work across film and television as he builds an independent résumé.
Got another name you think belongs here? Drop it below—share your thoughts in the comments!
