Catherine Zeta-Jones made headlines last week when she declared the term "nepo baby" was "horrific" and a cruel way to describe children of celebrities.
Her husband Michael Douglas has now doubled down on his wife's criticism, branding it "snotty" in regard to the Hollywood star's two children, Carys and Dylan Douglas, who have both followed their famous parents into acting.
© Getty ImagesMichael, the son of late screen legend Kirk Douglas, revealed he resents his children being tarred with the same brush he has been throughout his career.
Discussing his autobiography One Helluva Ride with the Sunday Times, Michael explained: "For the number of so-called 'nepos', there were very few people I could think of that had the kind of career my father and I had.'"
The Fatal Attraction star, 82, added that the term "nepo baby", which has become a commonplace way to describe children of famous people, has a "snotty tone to it I really kind of resent".
© Getty Images"In every other business, every mother and father helps their kids. We all know the companies, the names are 'so and so and son, or daughter," the actor explained.
"In every other business, everybody else, in relation, is required to have the same success or continuity. Whereas in this one, you're criticised for being the same."
Brown University graduate Dylan, 26, has landed a role in the upcoming thriller I Will Come to You, while student Carys, 23, made her stage debut in an off-Broadway production of Chekhov's The Seagull in July.
What did Catherine Zeta-Jones say about nepo babies?
The Mask of Zorro star Catherine called the "horrific" and "horrible" during a recent interview with The Sunday Times.
© InstagramThe Welsh star said: "It's hard for them to forge a way forward on their own. This horrific phrase 'nepo baby' is horrible because these kids didn't ask to be born into this, they're finding their own way in life.
Shortly after, during an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Catherine joked that she is married to "the ultimate nepo baby" Michael and argued that children following in their parents' footsteps shouldn't face such intense scrutiny.
Carys, meanwhile, has spoken candidly about the pressure of carrying the Douglas dynasty name while also striving to carve out her own identity.
"What bothers me the most is that people think I don't work hard for it, that I don't need to work hard for it. Honestly, I feel like it's the opposite. I feel I need to constantly prove myself to people – that I am not just my parents' daughter," she told Town & Country magazine in 2018.
© AnadoluIn the same interview, she credited her parents for keeping her grounded, noting: "My parents do a really good job of reality-checking me and being like, 'Look around you. The life you have is extraordinary.'"
The Douglas family's grounded lifestyle
Michael and Catherine have one of Hollywood’s most enduring love stories; the couple met in 1998 and married two years later. They welcomed son Dylan later that year, followed by daughter Carys in 2003.
Keen to give their children a quiet upbringing away from the intense pressure of Hollywood and the prying eyes of the paparazzi, the couple moved the family to Bermuda during their younger years.
The attempt at a private lifestyle was so successful that Carys famously admitted she grew up not knowing what her parents did for a living, believing her father was a "pancake maker".
© Getty ImagesDespite warning their children off pursuing acting as a career, both Dylan and Carys have opted to pursue careers in showbiz.
Michael and Catherine were adamant their kids needed to work hard and study their craft formally, however.
"Even with that deterrent my kids are like, 'No, sorry we still want to do it'," Catherine told Drew Barrymore on her talk show. She described acting as their "passion", revealing: "Their love of the craft is so strong."
