- Jack Quaid is arguably one of Hollywood’s ‘nepo babies’ – an actor who also has famous parents in the industry
- Quaid is the son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid
- But rather than shying away from the phrase, Quaid agrees with the term
Jack Quaid is one of the industry’s brightest young stars.
But the actor, 32, is also the son of Hollywood royalty – Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid.
The only son of the former power couple – who divorced in 2001, after ten years of marriage – Quaid has been branded as a ‘nepo baby’.
Although he has certainly made a name for himself in the 13 years he has been working, Quaid has faced criticism that he has been given a leg up in the industry, and offered roles because of who his parents are, rather than his talent.
But rather than shying away from the phrase, Quaid – who has starred in The Boys since 2019 – has decided to embrace the term.
“No matter what I do, people are going to call attention to it. People have called me a ‘nepo baby.’ I’m inclined to agree,” the Novocaine star told Variety. “I am an immensely privileged person, was able to get representation pretty early on, and that’s more than half the battle.”
Who exactly are Jack Quaid’s parents?
Known as the Queen of Rom-Coms, Quaid’s mother Ryan was once dubbed “America’s Sweetheart” – and became one of the most bankable stars of the ‘90s.
The actor, 63, made her debut 1981 in the drama film Rich and Famous – but it was the part of Sally Albright in the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally… that rocketed Ryan to stardom.
Written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner, Ryan earned her first Golden Globe nomination for her role, in which she starred opposite Billy Crystal as Harry. The movie also features Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby.
From there, Ryan starred in a slew of movies, and also picked up two more Golden Globe nominations for her roles in Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and You’ve Got Mail (1998).
In 2015, she made her directorial debut with Ithaca, in which she also starred. And after an eight year hiatus, Ryan returned to her rom-com roots for What Happens Later, which she also directed.
And Dennis Quaid…
Quaid Snr. is also an accomplished actor.
The 1983 critically acclaimed movie The Right Stuff shot him to stardom, and no movie fan can resist him as divorced father Nick Parker in 1998 remake of The Parent Trap (which, of course, also stars Lindsay Lohan as both his twin daughters!).
Quaid, 70, received a Golden Globe Award nomination for 2002’s Far from Heaven; and in 2009, The Guardian named him one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination.
He also picked up nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his portrayal of President Bill Clinton in the 2010 HBO film The Special Relationship
Like his son, Quaid seems to have a horror bug – as he also played misogynistic TV boss Harvey in the 2024 movie, The Substance.
What has Meg Ryan said about son Jack Quaid being a ‘nepo baby’?
Of course, it’s natural for parents to defend their children.
In a profile with Glamour magazine, Ryan said, “Jack is really talented. He’s more of a natural than I’ll ever be. That nepo stuff is so dismissive of his work ethic, his gifts, and how sensitive he is to the idea of his privilege.”
But Quaid didn’t mind his mother’s interference.
“She’s being a loving mom. But I don’t think she’s trying to say that I’m not a nepo baby, he explained. “I think she’s just trying to say that, in her opinion, it undermines my talent. I don’t think it undermines my talent.
“I know that I work hard, and I know I’ve heard ‘no’ way more than I’ve heard ‘yes.’ But I also know that this industry is insanely hard to break into, and I had an easier time doing that than most. Both things can be true.
The actor went on, “So no, I don’t think she was trying to say that I’m not a privileged person. She knows. She must know. I think she was being a mom.”
Quaid also revealed that he is less inclined to star in a rom-com with such big shoes as his mother’s to fill!
“It was a little bit of a conscious decision to not do it as much. It’s just got to be right, because, you know, my mom is the undisputed queen of rom-coms. So I can’t just get into that space, it’s got to be right,” said Quaid, who starred opposite Maya Erskine in the 2019 critically acclaimed rom-com Plus One.
“So I can’t just get into that space, it’s got to be right. It’s got to be something that feels different enough from what she’s done. I’m not looking to take her place or anything.”
