Nepotism in Casting

bnt

I've noticed a few complaints about nepotism in casting here before, most recently about Tim Burton always casting his wife Helena Bonham Carter, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, Charles Bronson & Jill Ireland. The Godfather Part III is another famous example, with Coppola's emergency casting of his daughter Sofia.

Clint Eastwood isn't concerned about what people might think: he has, at various times, cast his girlfriend Sondra Locke (Sudden Impact), his other girlfriend Frances Fisher (Unforgiven), his daughter Alison (Absolute Power), his son Scott (Invictus), and had his other son Kyle work on soundtracks. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith co-produced The Karate Kid, which stars their son Jaden.

I was reminded of this when I mentioned L.A. Story in another thread, in which Steve Martin's love interest is played by his then wife Victoria Tennant. Can anyone think of any more examples, blatant or otherwise?

Galvasean

There are two schools of thought on the subject. One is that directors will automatically turn to actors they know they will get along with/can work with. Kind of like how Chris Nolan reuses actors all the time - h can trust them. To that end, who can you trust better than your own family?
On the other hand in the Godfather 3 for example said trust was perhaps naive with Sofia Coppola's acting being one of the most heavily criticised parts of a heavily criticised film.
Then there is the outright hilarity that you get when Helena Bonham-Carter states that she has to audition for her husband's movies 'like everyone else' and just happens to be perfect for the part every time..

krudler

Judd Apatow and his family, yes your kids are cute, your wife is a mewling quim.

What I love is when Burton is casting his new film and Empire will have that little story about how Burton found it difficult to cast the female lead while Bonham Carter will talk about how hard she fought for the role. Remember reading about it when they were casting Dark Shadows. Seriously where the negotiations just a tiff between the two over who makes the next cup of tea, "Helena love, make us a cup of tea and you can have the role." "Fine, get the contract out."

Cork boy 55

Well spotted ,
I would forward this intel to the FBI.

Colmo52

Len Wiseman casting Kate Beckinsale in the Total Recall remake.

Skinfull

Christian Slaters mum is a casting director and has thrown him a few bones in the past. Most notably his quick role in Trek VI

OldeCinemaSoz

Didnt the austrian oak call his daughter

jenny instead of chenny in commando?!

kitakyushu

I've seen Brendan Gleesons son in two things so far (and Brendan Gleeson was in both of them).

OldeCinemaSoz

Lovely.

bnt

OldeCinemaSoz wrote: »

Didnt the austrian oak call his daughter

jenny instead of chenny in commando?!

Yeah, I'm not getting what that has to do with nepotism ...

I didn't know about Christian Slater - that's a weird one. I did a search for "Hollywood Nepotism", and of course there are a few websites on the topic, such as ... Hollywood Nepotism.

Here's another fun one: Duets (2000), a film about a "karaoke huckster", played by Huey Lewis, struggling to reconnect with his daughter, played by Gwyneth Paltrow ... directed by her father, Bruce Paltrow. Or Minnie Driver, who's been in three films produced by her sister Kate. :cool:

It might be more surprising when it doesn't happen e.g. Sigourney Weaver's dad was Sylvester Weaver, an influential TV producer who became president of NBC, but she was too young to benefit from that, it seems.

Da Shins Kelly

I don't really mind it with Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton because I think the roles usually do completely suit her. I can't really imagine anyone else doing it. It's not like she's a bad actress who's getting roles despite it. He probably does favour her, but they make a good team, I think.

Turtyturd

OldeCinemaSoz wrote: »

Didnt the austrian oak call his daughter

jenny instead of chenny in commando?!

Is anyone else struggling to get this gimmick?

It is actually shocking when you realise how elite Hollywood is and how the work is redistributed amongst related people.

Birneybau

Sofia Coppola, Godfather 3. Nuff said.

StupidLikeAFox

Mrs Browns Boys!

johnny_ultimate

For engaging in some nepotism in producing and helping get his daughter's wonderful directorial projects off the ground, I can actually forgive FF Coppola for his casting faux pas.

Dario Argento gave his daughter Asia significant parts in several of his films. She later went on to become a relatively successful actress (xXx, that unforgettable masterpiece) and writer/director in her own right.

Technically not film, but Serge Gainsbourg gave his daughter Charlotte (now Lars Von Trier's muse!) her required career boost. People couldn't help but pay attention to the young star to be when they performed a duet and starred in a provocative (and, frankly, ****ing creepy) music video for a song named Lemon Incest. Oh, those crazy French!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnKt84AdUHA

bnt

Birneybau wrote: »

Sofia Coppola, Godfather 3. Nuff said.

To be fair, he did have some positive experience of nepotism to go by: how well his sister Talia Shire did in the first two films, and his son Roman as the young Sonny in Part II. That third film featured three generations of Coppola's, including his dad Carmine.

I was also reading about Dario and Asia Argento: she was in three of his films, all of them reportedly featuring her in horrible scenes you can hardly imagine a father filming. Torture, rape, getting eaten by rats, seeing her parents brutally murdered ... :eek:

I know of at least one case of anti-nepotism: Kirk Douglas tried telling Michael Douglas not to go in to acting, and was no help at all. Michael struggled for years and had more success as a producer, winning a Best Picture Oscar for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Though Michael did eventually work with his dad in a film he also produced: It Runs in the Family (2003).

Kinski

Another case of anti-nepotism: legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) was opposed to Studio Ghibli - the studio he helped found and within which he produced most of his films - allowing his son Goro to helm the project Tales From Earthsea, apparently on the grounds that poor Goro wasn't an animator (indeed, Miyazaki Jnr. may have had good reason to swerve "animator" as a profession, feeling that papa spent far too much time away working while Goro was a child.)

The film sucked, but Miyazaki Snr. must have since relented, as he wrote the screenplay for his son's next feature.

I don't really care if people cast friends and relatives in their pictures, so long as the relative in question is actually up to the part (Sofia Coppolla was obviously a mistake, but sure the flick was awful anyhow.)

Isn't Woody Allen famous for casting lots of girlfriends (or prospective girfriends) in his movies?

Nervous Wreck

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I don't really mind it with Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton because I think the roles usually do completely suit her.

Probably because they're all very slight variations on the same role. Sick of that team by now.



"Coming this Summer! A Tim Burton Film! Starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter!! Don't miss...... 'Quirky Goth Film... With Extra Pale Make-up!'"

Fuck off, Burton.

Galvasean

Nervous Wreck wrote: »

"Coming this Summer! A Tim Burton Film! Starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter!! Don't miss...... 'Quirky Goth Film... With Extra Pale Make-up!'"

Fuck off, Burton.

I plan on playing the Dark Shadows drinking game.
Shot of Jager at the first sign of:
Twee Danny Elfman score
Johnny Depp
Helenna Bonham-Carter
Corsets
Over the top Gothic makeup
Twisty stairs
Pointy trees

We'll be langered in no time!

It sells though so you can hardly blame 'em.

the purple tin

bnt wrote: »

I've noticed a few complaints about nepotism in casting here before, most recently about Tim Burton always casting his wife Helena Bonham Carter, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, Charles Bronson & Jill Ireland. The Godfather Part III is another famous example, with Coppola's emergency casting of his daughter Sofia.

Clint Eastwood isn't concerned about what people might think: he has, at various times, cast his girlfriend Sondra Locke (Sudden Impact), his other girlfriend Frances Fisher (Unforgiven), his daughter Alison (Absolute Power), his son Scott (Invictus), and had his other son Kyle work on soundtracks. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith co-produced The Karate Kid, which stars their son Jaden.

I was reminded of this when I mentioned L.A. Story in another thread, in which Steve Martin's love interest is played by his then wife Victoria Tennant. Can anyone think of any more examples, blatant or otherwise?

Not really nepotism but Eastwood gave his friend Geoffrey Lewis a serious amount of roles in his films.

MagicMarker

Sylvester Stallone and his son Sage in Rocky V & Daylight.

Van Damme's son has been in a few of his movies, Universal Soldier (original & latest), as well as half a dozen of his straight to dvd let's shoot the movie in eastern europe movies.

rednik

Albert Popwell appeared in 4 Harry films with Clint, he also appeared in Coogan's Bluff.

emeraldstar

Galvasean wrote: »

I plan on playing the Dark Shadows drinking game.
Shot of Jager at the first sign of:
Twee Danny Elfman score
Johnny Depp
Helenna Bonham-Carter
Corsets
Over the top Gothic makeup
Twisty stairs
Pointy trees

We'll be langered in no time!

It sells though so you can hardly blame 'em.

And don't forget the stripy clothing!

Mickeroo

Frances McDormond is married to Joel Coen and has appeared in a fair few of their films. Apparently she had to fight tooth and nail for the role of Marge Gunderson in Fargo though.

Nervous Wreck

Mickeroo wrote: »

Frances McDormond is married to Joel Coen and has appeared in a fair few of their films. Apparently she had to fight tooth and nail for the role of Marge Gunderson in Fargo though.

Yeah. And apparently my balls stick together when I sweat.

Birneybau

Nervous Wreck wrote: »

Yeah. And apparently my balls stick together when I sweat.

To Oscar winning effect though, she's great in that film, can think of none other suited to the role.

Nervous Wreck

Birneybau wrote: »

To Oscar winning effect though, she's great in that film, can think of none other suited to the role.

In fairness, she's fantastic in anything I've seen her in.

TheStook

Only other one I can think of is Ben Affleck letting his brother Casey star in Gone Baby Gone when he produced it but that doesnt really count as Casey did a wonderful job and was fit for the role..

jaykhunter

I don't think I mind people hiring the same actors as much as I mind them playing the same character archetype in the same style of film. (Burton and his wife/depp are massive offenders for this). Playing the same note over and over gets boring pretty quick.