Catherine Zeta-Jones Defends Children Against 'Nepo Baby' Label

Catherine Zeta-Jones has defended her children, Dylan and Carys, against the 'nepo baby' label, asserting they have not had an easier path into acting than other aspiring performers. Zeta-Jones, married to actor Michael Douglas, stated that her children face significant scrutiny and have a great deal to prove.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, the Oscar-winning actress pushed back against the notion that celebrity children receive undue advantages. She drew parallels to other professions, suggesting that children entering fields like finance, law, or medicine often follow in their parents' footsteps without facing similar criticism.

"I think it's unfortunate that with the intense scrutiny young people have, not just my kids or celebrity kids, just generally, they get slaughtered by AI images of perfection, or this and that," Zeta-Jones said. "They don't need another tag, I think it's very unfortunate."

She pointed out that her husband, Michael Douglas, himself the son of Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas, has achieved considerable success independently. "I think, more importantly, I'm married to the ultimate nepo baby," she remarked. "My husband was the son of Kirk Douglas, the son of Spartacus, you know? And he's done pretty good on his own."

Zeta-Jones emphasized that Dylan, 26, and Carys, 23, have a strong passion for acting and must work to overcome perceptions of inherited advantage. "Oh! It's in your genes, it's in your blood."

Michael Douglas has also addressed the 'nepo baby' criticism, previously stating that fathers in any profession often try to help their sons enter the same field. He recounted how his own father, Kirk Douglas, gave him the rights to the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Although Michael Douglas was initially too old to play the lead role when he produced the film, the project earned him an Academy Award.

Dylan has made his acting debut and has upcoming film credits, while Carys, who graduated from Brown University with a degree in film and international relations, has appeared in short films and recently took a lead role in a production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull. Carys has spoken about her passion for the performing arts and acknowledged the extraordinary nature of her upbringing.

Zeta-Jones indicated that she and her husband would guide their children toward alternative careers if they lacked the talent for acting. "Michael and I would be the first to go, 'You know what? Maybe law school looks really good.'"

Catherine Zeta-Jones has continued her acting career, most recently with her role as Morticia in the Netflix series Wednesday. She is also set to star as a former cocaine queenpin in the upcoming Prime Video series Kill Jackie, using her natural Welsh accent for the first time in many years.