Michael Douglas Rejects 'Nepo' Label on SmartLess

Michael Douglas says the “nepo” label “really pisses” him off.

He made the remark while talking about his career with SmartLess hosts Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, according to Variety. The podcast conversation was reported on 6 October 2026.

The phrase “nepo baby” is shorthand for a performer whose famous parents helped open doors in the same business. It is meant as a jab. Douglas knows it well.

He is the son of late Hollywood star Kirk Douglas, according to Variety. Kirk Douglas died in 2020 at age 103. His long acting career brought three Oscar nominations and an honorary Oscar in 1996, an award given for a body of work rather than a single role.

Michael Douglas has two Oscars of his own. He won best picture in 1976 as a co-producer of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which means he shared the film’s top prize as one of its makers. He later won best actor in a leading role in 1988 for Wall Street, according to Variety.

Asked what advice he would give to aspiring actors, he kept it simple. Learn to recognise good material. That was his answer on SmartLess, according to Variety. Pick the right script, and the rest has a chance.

The appearance comes ahead of his forthcoming memoir. It is titled One Helluva Ride, according to Variety. No release details were included in the verified facts.

His wife has used even stronger language about the same term. Catherine Zeta-Jones described “nepo baby” as “horrific” in an interview reported by Yahoo on 24 September. She was speaking about her own children entering the industry.

The couple share a son, Dylan, who is an actor, and a daughter, Carys, who is an aspiring director, according to USA Today. Both have faced the same family-business questions as their father.

SmartLess, hosted by Hayes, Bateman and Arnett, releases new episodes every Monday, according to its official site. The show is built around long, unscripted conversations with guests.

What makes this stand out for listeners is the timing. Husband and wife have now both pushed back on the same label within weeks of each other, while also talking openly about the next generation following them into film.