Domhnall Gleeson: 'It's important to acknowledge nepotism'
Published in Entertainment News
Domhnall Gleeson has acknowledged his privilege as a 'nepo baby' and says it's important the acting business is accessible to all.
The 42-year-old Irish actor is the offspring of legendary actor Brendan Gleeson, 70, and even appeared on screen with his dad in 2010's 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1'.
Domhnall appreciates that he has had an advantage with a father already in the industry and he believes the 'nepo baby debate' is an "important conversation" so that more can be done to ensure people of all backgrounds can enter the industry.
He told The Irish Times: "It's an important conversation. There are a lot of people whose parents are in the industry.
"It's important that there is room for other people. I've been so lucky when it comes to what my father did and having the means to be able to pursue acting even when I wasn't making enough money to look after myself.
"I think it's fair for people to talk about that, and it's important that you can acknowledge it. Otherwise you're lying to yourself. I also think it's important that more people can get into the industry who don't have the means of the majority who are in there at the moment."
Just recently, Kate Winslet's daughter, Mia Threapleton, hit out at the "misconception" she's a 'nepo baby'.
The 24-year-old star - whose first major acting role came alongside her mother Kate Winslet in 'I Am Ruth' - has insisted despite being the daughter of Kate and filmmaker Jim Threapleton, she didn't spend her childhood growing up on movie sets.
She was quoted by the Daily Mail newspaper's Eden Confidential column as saying: "I feel like it's a misconception about me, considering who my mother is, that I grew up going to set or that I would know anything about this world because of her and what she does.
"That is not the case at all. I genuinely can count on not even two hands the amount of times I went to set as a kid.
"There were never scripts lying around the house."
Meanwhile, 'Titanic' star Kate - who previously pointed out that her daughter's "different surname" means that she often escapes the 'nepo baby' claims - is proud of how determined Mia has been.
During a previous appearance on ITV daytime show 'Lorraine' in the UK, she said: "As far as performance, she didn't need me at all. There are even moments where she'd look at me and go, 'Shut up Mum, let me do it!'
"It was really amazing working alongside her and actually being blown away by her courage… she's very, very powerful.
"I think this young generation of actors, I have to say there is a naturalism to their acting and they're just braver."
'Nepo babies' such as Brooklyn Beckham, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Lily Allen, Hailey Bieber and many more have spoken on the issue.
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