Michael Douglas Weighs In on ‘Nepo Baby’ Debate, Says the Title ‘Really Pisses Me Off’

The “Wall Street” actor, who is the son of the late Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas, opened up on a recent episode of the Smartless podcast and said the title “really pisses” him off.

While 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 pisses me off.” He continued: “I don’t know a career where a father or mother don’t try to help their son or daughter get into their business and this and that, and why they picked on this because of the well-known aspect of it.”

Beyond the discussion of nepotism, Douglas also noted that the best advice he could give to aspiring actors is to recognize “good material.” “The problem we all have is we don’t play an instrument, or we don’t paint, or we don’t write,” he said. “We’re standing there. But a good piece of material, man, a good piece of material helps things along well.”

His father, Kirk, died in 2020 at 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 his turns in “Fatal Attraction,” “Behind the Candelabra” and more films. Douglas has won one Oscar for acting and one for producing; he took home the trophy for best actor in a leading role in 1988 for “Wall Street” and best picture in 1976 as a co-producer of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

Douglas’ forthcoming memoir, “One Helluva Ride,” comes out Tuesday.