Tom Hanks Speaks On Nepotism Debate: 'It's A Family Business'

Oscar award-winning actor Tom Hanks has joined the slew of celebrities to add to the ongoing conversation about nepotism in Hollywood. The topic of nepotism in the movie industry has always been a topic of discussion; however, it recently became very rampant after several "nepo babies" were called out by New York Magazine.

The popular piece mentioned famous actors and pointed out what part of their renowned family tree helped them get into Hollywood. Top models, musicians, NBA stars, and "industry babies" were also analyzed.

Hanks has four children, and while some have musical interests, all of them have ventured into the acting industry. Elizabeth and Colin were from Hanks' previous marriage with Samantha Lewes, while he had Chet and Truman in his current marriage to Rita Wilson.

Read on to learn more.

While talking to The Sun about his family's acting careers, Hanks mentioned and dismissed the ongoing debate about nepotism. The actor's two older children, Elizabeth and Colin, have appeared in a number of his films, with Colin receiving considerable accolades for his performances.

He has starred in films like "A Friend of the Family" and "The Offer." Chet and Truman are also in show business; however, the former also has a music career. Truman recently acted alongside Hanks in "A Man Called Otto."

The Oscar-winning actor explained, "Look, this is a family business. This is what we've been doing forever. It's what all of our kids grew up in. If we were a plumbing supply business or if we ran the florist shop down the street, the whole family would be putting in time at some point, even if it was just inventory at the end of the year."

Hanks further revealed that regardless of how famous a person's last name is or the kind of ties they have in the industry, the only determinant to success is the amount of work put in.

"The thing that doesn't change no matter what happens, no matter what your last name is, is whether it works or not," the "Elvis" actor said.

Hanks continued, "That's the issue anytime any of us go off and try to tell a fresh story or create something that has a beginning and a middle and an end. Doesn't matter what our last names are. We have to do the work in order to make that a true and authentic experience for the audience."

Besides Hanks, Kate Hudson, the daughter of Goldie Hawn, previously talked about nepotism in the film industry. The actress revealed that she didn't care for the term, and "storytelling" is something that has always been in her blood and is more than likely in her children's.

Hudson said to The Independent, "The nepotism thing, I mean… I don't really care. I look at my kids, and we're a storytelling family. It's definitely in our blood. People can call it whatever they want, but it's not going to change it."

She also mentioned industries where nepotism was more common such as business and politics. "I see it in business way more than I see it in Hollywood," she continued. "Sometimes I've been in business meetings where I'm like, 'wait, whose child is this? Like, this person knows nothing!' I don't care where you come from or what your relationship to the business is – if you work hard and you kill it, it doesn't matter."

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis and singer Lily Allen also questioned the heightened conversation surrounding "nepo babies." For Curtis, she acknowledged her roots as the child of movie stars but stated that the recent fixation on the topic was only designed to "denigrate and hurt" people. While Allen spoke on the high probability of "nepo babies" having "narcissistic" parents who don't pay enough attention to them. She also said people should be more worried about nepotism in other industries like "legal firms."

The article that had everyone's tongue wagging about nepotism and "nepo babies" in Hollywood was published on December 19 in the New York Magazine.

"Nepo baby" is a term used to refer to the children of famous parents who have walked the same path as their parents and found success with little or no effort. In the industry, celebrity nepotism goes way back; however, "nepo baby" was recently coined and frequently used as a shorthand to deride it.

The piece titled "Extremely Overanalyzing Hollywood's Nepo-Baby Boom" was written by Priyanka Mantha and listed the names of successful people who owed their fame to their last name. Maude Apatow, Lily-Rose Depp, Dakota Johnson, and Zoë Kravitz were among the celebrities plastered on the front cover of the piece.