How much does nepotism really matter in Hollywood?
My daughter is more likely to know Lily Collins for her role in Emily in Paris than her dad Phil Collins (one of my guilty pleasures growing up as a millennial). The term ‘nepo baby’ has become synonymous with ‘Hollywood jobs for the family’ with some startling recent statistics:
· “Over a quarter of young film actors in America have a parent in entertainment”.
· “Nepo babies are commanding more roles and more lines. In 2000 they made up 6.6% of appearances by young actors, but by 2025 that share had more than doubled, to 16.3%”.
· “Most big films—70%—had at least one nepo baby in an important creative role”.
The nepo baby debate certainly evokes some contentious feelings around fairness, privilege, invisible advantages and meritocracy. “Nepotism especially rankles in an industry where the rewards are immense but the opportunities scarce.”
How different this is from other industries is not touched upon in any significant detail in the piece but the blockbuster view comes from Evan Shapiro who believes that “nepotism is a symptom of a lack of originality in Hollywood”. He sees the prominence of family connections as a sign of an industry that is less diverse and less capable of generating novel ideas. P.S. Evan’s talk on the attention economy at the Edinburgh TV Festival is a must-watch.
The other side may be equally true. Those who have grown up around the industry may have a better understanding of its pressures, expectations and unwritten rules. Equally, carrying a famous surname can bring its own pressures and expectations to prove yourself.
The old adage ‘It’s not what you know but who you know’ may continue to ring true in an increasingly digital world where cultivating relationships and personal connections appear to be increasing in value.
For many, the real issue isn’t whether nepo babies have talent or deserve their success. Perhaps it’s whether equally talented people without those connections ever get the same opportunity to demonstrate what they’re capable of.
Netflix secures Spanish broadcasting rights for 2030 World Cup
Whilst Hollywood appears to be doubling down on established networks, the live sports broadcasting industry is being disrupted by streamers like Netflix who continue to buy up premium live sporting content and challenging the traditional broadcasting establishment.
The Athletic recently reported that Netflix secured the 2030 broadcasting rights in Spain for all 104 matches of the Men’s World Cup. It’s the first time Netflix has acquired rights to a men’s World Cup following other deals to broadcast the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cup in the US and Canada. It got me thinking about Netflix's evolution from occasional live sporting events to an established rights buyer.
This is part of a wider trend of streamers buying live sports rights and creating further competition for established broadcasters. Where Netflix’s approach has differed has been its recent focus on high profile, globally recognisable events and selective live rights packages rather than entire seasons. The mix has included WWE, NFL Christmas games (which have now expanded further), MLB and one-off boxing and tennis matches. The men’s and women’s World Cup deals provide Netflix with its first foray into a comprehensive live tournament programme.
Only a few years ago, Netflix was dampening expectations of becoming a serious live sports rights acquirer. Fast-forward to 2026 and there’s a clear, incremental shift towards becoming a more of a conventional live sports broadcaster. Indeed, with Netflix embracing an advertising-supported revenue model, the advertising inventory of popular live tournaments, becomes attractive too. Netflix recently announced it has sold out its 2027 Women’s World Cup game sponsorships.
From experimenting with live sport in 23/24 to expanding its live offering in 25-26, the period from 2027 onwards looks set for Netflix to establish its foothold in strategic markets for live football tournaments. Further rights acquisitions appear likely. Netflix's increasingly serious role in the live sports rights market is becoming harder to ignore.