Meg Ryan's Son Jack Quaid Responds to His Mom Defending His "Nepo Baby" Status

She was just being a mom, he said.

Meg Ryan and Jack Quaid attend the New York Knicks Vs Philadelphia 76ers game at Madison Square Garden on December 25, 2017 in New York City
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid's son Jack Quaid is a nepo baby by definition.

So after his mom spoke out in a previous interview about not loving that label for him, Jack was asked about it in his own interview, with The Daily Beast.

"My first thought was like, she’s being a mom," the actor said about Ryan's comments. "She’s being a loving mom. But I don’t think she's trying to say that I’m not a nepo baby.

"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.'"

He continued, "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. 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."

The When Harry Met Sally actress told Glamour in November, "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."

Ryan is absolutely the proudest mom out there, regularly shouting out Jack's projects on social media, like when she shared the movie poster for Plus One with the caption, "JUST KILLING IT... SO PROUD!!"

Aside from that rom-com, Jack is best known for his role in the drama series The Boys.

Meanwhile, Jack is one of many second-generation celebs to speak out about what being a "nepo baby" means to them.

Recently, Emma Roberts made headlines after she called out what she sees as a double standard in that area, with young women bearing most of the brunt of accusations of nepotism.

Other celebs who have shared their feelings about the label include Gwyneth Paltrow, Maya Hawke, Dakota Johnson, and Kaia Gerber.

Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.