Ben Stiller, 59, Defends Nepo Babies, Comparing Harsh Criticism to Brat Pack Fame: ‘It’s a Selling Point’

Video Credit: The Howard Stern Show

Ben Stiller recently appeared on “The Howard Stern Show” to promote his Apple TV+ documentary “Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost,” which pays tribute to his late parents, comedy legends Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. During the candid conversation, Stiller didn’t shy away from addressing the elephant in the room—the ongoing debate about nepotism in Hollywood.

When Stern brought up the surge of so-called nepo babies in the entertainment industry and the criticism they often face, Stiller had a thoughtful response. He drew a comparison to another Hollywood phenomenon from decades past: the Brat Pack. It is a perfect Stiller response.

Stiller said on the SiriusXM, “I think it’s kind of like that Brat Pack thing, right? New York Magazine coined a phrase, and then it just became a thing. But it’s always been what it is in humanity and life.” He went on to offer an interesting analogy to make his point. 

Stiller continues, “That’s a selling point. It’s like, you know, you buy a violin, a Stradivarius or whatever, it’s been in the family for hundreds of years.” His point? Having something passed down through generations—whether it’s a musical instrument or industry connections—has always been seen as valuable.

Ben Stiller Understands Both Sides of the Argument

While Stiller defended his place in the industry, he was quick to acknowledge that the conversation around access and privilege is legitimate. “But I also understand there are other arguments to be made about access and all those things,” he said during the interview. For Stiller, growing up in a showbiz family wasn’t all glitz and glamour. In fact, he believes it gave him a more realistic view of the entertainment world.

He also added, “My feeling is … if it’s in your blood, if it’s your passion and you grew up around it—for me, I think growing up around it, talking about all these things that I saw with my parents, you, actually as a kid, see the dark underside of it, the stress, the effects it has on relationships. You see that up close as a kid, and then you still wanna go into it.”

That raw honesty hits differently. Sure, he had access, but he also saw the toll the industry took on his family. And despite witnessing all of that, he still chose to pursue acting and directing. That takes genuine passion. Stiller didn’t pretend he got where he is entirely on his own merit. He openly admitted that his first significant role came through a family connection.

In 1986, he landed a part in the off-Broadway revival of “House of Blue Leaves” after his mom helped him get an audition. Stiller revealed, as reported by The Wrap, “I couldn’t get in cause the casting director didn’t wanna see me. But I felt like, doing that audition, I knew that I had done what I needed to get the part. If you have the passion, you need to do it. You need to go for it.” That admission is important.

Raising His Own Kids in the Industry

Yes, Ben Stiller got his foot in the door through his mother, but once he was in the room, he still had to prove himself. And clearly, he did. Now that Stiller’s children, Ella and Quinlin, are pursuing careers in acting, he’s experiencing the other side of the nepotism debate. During an appearance on “The View,” he reflected on the challenges of raising kids in the same industry he grew up in.

Ben Stiller said, as reported by The International News, “Having kids who are now actors also, and experiencing that, that became part of the movie in terms of talking to them about how cyclically, generationally these things get handed down.” He added, “You want to do better than your parents, but then in some places you do better, sometimes you do worse. It’s that struggle we all go through.”

That’s a universal truth that goes beyond Hollywood. Every parent wants to give their kids a better life than they had, but we all stumble along the way. For Stiller, that means navigating the same industry pressures his parents faced while trying to shield his own children from the darker aspects of fame.

“Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost” is more than just a tribute to Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara—it’s a deeply personal exploration of family, legacy, and the cyclical nature of generational struggles. The documentary premiered at the New York Film Festival and is now streaming on Apple TV+.

Final Thoughts

Through this project, Ben Stiller isn’t just defending his place in Hollywood—he’s unpacking the complicated relationship he had with his parents and the industry they all shared. At the end of the day, Stiller’s message is simple: if you have the passion, go for it. Just be prepared to work for it, even if your last name opens a few doors.