Ryan Phillippe has weighed in on the never-ending “nepo baby” discourse.
As I’m sure you know, Ryan shares two children with Reese Witherspoon: 24-year-old Ava and 20-year-old Deacon.
And now that they’re grown up, the siblings are stepping into the world of showbiz, with Deacon pursuing music and Ava beginning to “figure out” a career in acting.
Though they’re divorced, Reese and Ryan often come together to support their kids’ creative projects. And now Ryan is defending Ava and Deacon against nepotism backlash — which, as I’m sure you know, is quite a popular theme in Hollywood.
In a recent interview with Extra, the 49-year-old said it feels “natural” for his children to pursue careers in the arts, and admitted he finds it difficult to see criticism directed at young people in Hollywood who have followed in their parents’ footsteps.
“That’s what always annoys me about this whole nepotism talk with the industry,” he said. “You know, so many people grow up and end up doing what their parents do, you know, to some degree or another. To me, I always get offended for the children of actors and entertainers when people bring that up because yeah, of course, that’s what they’ve grown up around.”
Ryan went on to say that celebrity kids entering showbiz also benefit from a prior understanding of the industry, particularly the more difficult parts of life in it.
While Ava and Deacon lead relatively low-key lives, the siblings haven’t escaped nepotism backlash. In fact, Ryan’s comments come only a few months after Deacon found himself at the center of a debate over a viral tour of his New York City apartment.
In case you missed it, in November, Deacon — who studies music at NYU — showed off his stylish West Village apartment to a TikToker called Caleb Simpson, who ~randomly~ approached him on the street by asking him how much he pays for rent.
As you’d perhaps expect, Deacon’s place looks pretty fancy, boasting high ceilings, a music studio setup, and funky artwork. Sharing with two roommates, the 20-year-old didn’t disclose how much rent he pays but instead brushed off the question by hinting at extortionate “West Village prices.”
Since the tour didn’t mention his parents, people were a little divided by the underlying implication that Deacon could afford the apartment as a regular college student, rather than the child of the richest female actor in the world, according to Forbes. And so, it wasn’t long before the “nepo baby” discourse bubbled up in the comments section.
However, plenty of others spoke out in Deacon’s defense, noting that he seems like a “humble kid” despite his lavish background.
And as Deacon continues to explore music, it sounds as if Ryan is one proud dad, telling Extra that his son has “an incredible work ethic.”