- Jason Ritter, son of actor John Ritter, said SiriusXM his first acting job was the result of nepotism.
- “Nepo baby” refers to anyone whose career has benefited from celebrity family connections.
- The conversation about Hollywood’s baby nepo was largely sparked by a 2022 New York Magazine article.
In a recent interview, jason ritterThe son of actor John Ritter said he has nepotism to thank for landing his first acting job.
On Thursday, Ritter appeared on “The Jess Cagle Show” by SiriusXM and talked about this first job.
“Oh, when I was a kid, when I was about 6 or something, my dad was doing this cartoon called ‘The True Story of O Christmas Tree,'” Ritter said. “I’ll say, without hesitation, this was like total hiring nepotism. I’ll admit it. It sure got me the job. I tried to stay away from it later.”
In the cartoon, Ritter played an animated acorn, and remembers thinking his voice was “revved up” because it sounded so high-pitched. Since then, Ritter has become known for his role on NBC’s “Parenthood,” his voice acting on “Gravity Falls” and a notable role in the film “Freddy vs. Jason.”
His father, John Ritter, who died from a aortic dissection In 2003, he was most famous for his role in the movie “Sling Blade” and his television roles in “Three’s Company” and “8 Simple Rules.”
In the interview, Ritter also talked about what it was like going on set with his father.
“It was always a special experience,” Ritter said on the show. “I remember the first time I went there, I don’t even know what I was shooting, but it was a late night shoot. And the idea of staying up all night was so exciting and crazy to me.”
Ritter is married to “The last of us” and “Yellow Jackets” star melanie lynskey.
Jason Ritter and John Ritter at the 5th Annual Family Television Awards in 2003.
Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images
The conversation around nepotism in Hollywood was brought to the fore by a New York Magazine Article 2022.
TO baby nepo, as it has been coined, he is someone whose career has been propelled by his family connections. Several so-called nepo babies have had mixed reactions to the term and the discourse surrounding it.
in a november interview with Elle magazineLily-Rose Depp, daughter of actors Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, has expressed her frustration regarding the nepo baby label.
“Maybe you get your foot in the door, but you still have your foot in the door. There’s a lot of work that comes after that,” Depp said.
Vanessa Paradis and Lily-Rose Depp; Maya Hawke and Uma Thurman.
Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Getty Images; Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images
In 2021, singer and actress Maya Hawke, the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, expressed her gratitude for her status as a baby nepo in a interview with People.
“I’m so thankful for the fact that they made it so easy for me to do what I love,” Hawke said. “I think I’ll get a couple of chances with his name and then if I suck, I’ll be kicked out of the kingdom. And that’s what should happen. So I’ll try not to suck.”
