- Tom Hanks said show business his family's business when asked about the "nepo baby" discourse.
- "This is what we've been doing forever, it's what all of our kids grew up in," Hanks said.
Tom Hanks said showbusiness is a part of his and his family's heritage when asked to weigh in on discussions surrounding nepotism in Hollywood.
The actor, 66, said it's no surprise that his four children are working in the entertainment industry given his family's involvement in it over generations.
"Look, this is the family business," Hanks said a YouTube video posted by The Sun. "This is what we've been doing forever, it's what all of our kids grew up in." The "Forrest Gump" actor has four children: Elizabeth, 40, Colin, 45, Truman, 37, and Chet, 32. He shares the eldest with his current wife Rita Wilson and the youngest with ex-wife Samantha Lewes.
"They are very creative, they are all involved in some brand of storytelling," he added.
Hanks went on to say that if his family worked in a different industry, "the whole family would be putting in time at some point."
According to The Sun, Hanks delivered the response after being asked about his son Truman's casting in his film "A Man Called Otto," released on Friday. In the movie, Truman plays the younger version of Hanks's character.
The question also came in light of the "nepo babies" debate in the entertainment industry. The term is used to describe a famous person who may have found success due to a relative also being in showbusiness.
Interest in nepo babies jumped in December after a New York magazine cover story about nepotism in Hollywood went viral, prompting many other relatives of famous people to speak about the topic.
Other actors who have spoken out against the term include Jamie Lee Curtis and Kate Hudson, both of whom expressed a level of disapproval of the term.
"The thing that doesn't change, no matter what happens, no matter what your last name is, is whether it works or not," Hanks said. When it comes to telling successful stories onscreen, Hanks said he does not believe it "matters" what "our last names are."
"We have to do the work in order to make that a true and authentic experience for the audience," he said.