Jessica Biel says her 11-year-old son won’t get roles just because of his name. Then he appears in her film

Silas Timberlake made his Hollywood debut with a cameo in the action comedy Matchbox: The Movie despite his mother, Jessica Biel, previously stating she would not allow her son to benefit from nepotism, the Telegraph reports.

The 11-year-old appears in a scene where he interacts with Biel, who asks his character to get out of a vehicle. Biel, 44, mentioned that Silas had been “talking to us about wanting to be an actor”. She explained that she and her husband, Justin Timberlake, have had lengthy conversations with their son about the reality of the industry.

Biel said she told him that “there are kids who work really hard and they go to acting class and they’re in theatre class and they’re doing all the work. You can’t just take a part from that person just because you’re my son”. During an appearance on the Great Chat Show podcast, she stated firmly, “That’s not cool. We’re not doing that.”

The actress noted that she and Timberlake have attempted to keep their children away from the public eye.

However, she also expressed a desire not to “squash their dreams”. The opportunity for Silas to appear in the film came when Jules Daly, the producer of Matchbox: The Movie, asked if her son might be interested in a small role. Biel said that she and her husband felt comfortable with the cameo because it was not a significant speaking part. She noted, “So this is a special opportunity because it’s really teeny tiny. And, if you had a big monologue, I wouldn’t let him do it.”

Biel emphasized that she wants her son to understand the value of work, saying, “You would have to earn that part because we’re not starting that, ‘Oh, you just get handed a bunch of opportunities because you’re part of this family’. We’re not doing that.” Her perspective highlights the ongoing discussion surrounding the term “nepo-babies,” which refers to individuals who are viewed as getting professional advantages due to their parents’ fame.

Other celebrities have also offered their views on the topic recently. Sylvester Stallone, 80, discussed the hiring of his daughter, Scarlet Rose Stallone, for a role in his show, Tulsa King. He addressed the accusations of nepotism during an interview with USA Today, noting that he believes it is a parent’s role to help their children. Stallone said, “First they go, ‘nepotism is terrible’. I said, ‘Oh please, you’re not a good parent if you haven’t performed a little nepotism. Then obviously you don’t care about your kids, because they come first’.”

Stallone further argued that he views providing advantages to his children as a priority. He stated, “Of course it’s nepotism, you idiot. That’s why we’re parents. We want the best for our children. So we let them have every advantage.”