'I Am an Immensely Privileged Person': The Boys Star Jack Quaid Agrees with Being Labeled As A Product of Nepotism

Jack Quaid doesn’t mind being called a nepo baby; he accepts it with pride. As the son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, he believes in his talent and has never tried to overshadow his mother's legacy.

Published on Jul 12, 2024  |  06:49 PM IST |  61.2K
Jack Quaid - ( Instagram/Jack Quaid )
Jack Quaid - ( Instagram/Jack Quaid )

Jack Quaid doesn’t shy away from being named a "nepo baby" and accepts the tag with pride. “No matter what I do, people are going to call attention to it. People have called me a ‘nepo baby.’ I’m inclined to agree,” said the star, whose parents are superstars Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. “I am an immensely privileged person, was able to get representation pretty early on, and that’s more than half the battle,” Quaid added.

This isn't the first time nepotism in Hollywood has been openly questioned or discussed. Other so-called "nepo babies," including Lily-Rose Depp (daughter of Johnny Depp), Dan Levy (son of Eugene Levy), and Maude Apatow (daughter of Judd Apatow), have been outspoken in the past about navigating charges of nepotism as they form their career trajectories.



Jack Quaid on dealing with comparisons with mother and famous actress Meg Ryan 

Jack Quaid was asked on The Daily Beast’s The Last Laugh podcast if he purposely avoided romantic comedies to refrain from comparisons to his mother, who has starred in some of the greatest films in the genre, from When Harry Met Sally to You’ve Got Mail.

He responded by saying that it was a conscious decision to avoid the genre to some extent because he too feels that his mother is the undisputed queen of rom-coms. Quaid explained that unless one hits the nail on the head with the role, it won't be the best move to make.

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He further clarified that he has never tried to take her place as a star and holds immense respect for her as an actress. Quaid also starred opposite Maya Erskine in the 2019 critically acclaimed rom-com Plus One.

Moreover, according to Business Insider, Quaid told Thrillist in June that he had earlier contemplated changing his last name but struggled to find an alternative. He also declined his father's early offer to share his agent when he became an actor.


Meg Ryan defended her son Jack Quaid's nepo baby tag 

On one hand, actor Jack Quaid embraced and made peace with the label of being a product of nepotism. Recently, his mother, actress Meg Ryan, defended him against the "nepo baby" label in a Glamour magazine profile. She acknowledged his talent and praised his natural acting ability, stating, “That nepo stuff is so dismissive of his work ethic, his gifts, and how sensitive he is to the idea of his privilege.”

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Quaid later addressed her comments in The Daily Beast interview by saying, “She’s being a loving mom. But I don’t think she’s trying to say that I’m not a nepo baby.” He added that he thinks his mother meant that the tag undermines his talent, to which the young star begs to differ.

He reflected on his career, acknowledging that he encountered more rejection than acceptance. Quaid recognized the challenges of breaking into the entertainment industry. Moreover, he believed his mother, Meg Ryan, wasn't overlooking his privilege when she made comments about his career but was simply being supportive as a mother.

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 Hi there! I'm Sweta Choudhury, a 25-year-old from Assam with a passion for creative expression. I

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