Michael Douglas is joining the “Napo Baby” debate.
The “Wall Street” actor, who is the son of late Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas, spoke on a recent episode of “Smartless” Podcast and said that the title “really upsets him”.
Discussing his success with hosts Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, Douglas said, “Well, first of all, you know, Hollywood royalty. I mean… this ‘Nepo’ thing really bothers me.” He added: “I don’t know of a career where a father or mother doesn’t try to help their son or daughter with their business and this or that thing, and the well-known aspect of it is why they chose it.”
Beyond the discussion of nepotism, Douglas also said that the best advice he can give to aspiring actors is to recognize the “good material”. He said, “The problem with all of us is that we don’t play an instrument, or we don’t paint, or we don’t write.” “We’re standing there. But a good piece of material, brother, a good piece of material helps things along nicely.”
His father Kirk died in 2020 at the age of 103. He starred in films including “Spartacus,” “Seven Days in May,” “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” “Champion,” “The Bad and the Beautiful,” “Lust for Life,” “Paths of Glory” and “Lonely Are the Brave.” He earned three Oscar nominations and was awarded an Honorary Oscar in 1996.
Douglas is known for “Fatal Attraction,” “Behind the Candelabra” and other films. Douglas has won an Oscar for acting and one for producing; He won Best Actor in a Leading Role trophy in 1988 for “Wall Street” and Best Picture as co-producer of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in 1976.
Douglas’ upcoming memoir, “One Helluva Ride,” comes out Tuesday.