Hopper Penn and Dylan Penn, children of acclaimed actors Sean Penn and Robin Wright, have spoken candidly about the challenges and perceptions associated with being so-called “nepo babies.”Hopper Penn and Dylan Penn, children of acclaimed actors Sean Penn and Robin Wright, have spoken candidly about the challenges and perceptions associated with being so-called “nepo babies.” Dylan Penn acknowledged the potential resentment towards her being cast in her father’s film “Flag Day,” but emphasized that she had also faced numerous rejections as an actress. She stressed that connections played a significant role in the industry, regardless of familial relationships. Hopper Penn, who made his debut in Sean Penn’s “The Last Face,” expressed indifference towards the nepo baby conversation. He asserted his commitment to professional conduct and rejected the notion of half-hearted performances due to his family connections. Working with his father, Hopper said, was no different from working with any other director. He acknowledged that he would have faced the same consequences as any other actor if he had performed poorly. Dylan and Hopper both recognized the challenges faced by children of famous parents, but maintained that they were determined to forge their own paths and prove their worth in the industry based on their talent and hard work.
Hopper Penn and Dylan Penn
“I can see being really pissed that I got this role, as someone else,” Dylan told W after dad Sean Penn directed her in the 2021 drama Flag Day. At the same time, she added, as a working actress “I’ve been auditioning forever. I’ve been rejected forever.”
Regarding the kerfuffle over her brother starring in a Spielberg-daughter-directed short, Dylan stressed, “This is the business. It is about who you know. Always. Whether you’re the son of Sean Penn or not.”
Hopper, who made his movie debut in Sean’s film The Last Face, told E! News in February that the nepo baby conversation didn’t really affect him.
“I’m like, ‘If you like it, cool. If you don’t, great,’” he explained, having just made Devil’s Peak with mom Robin Wright. “And if you think that there’s nepotism going on, I really don’t care because I’m gonna do the work just as professional as everybody else, and I’m not gonna come there and do it half-ass because I’m working with my dad, I’m working with my mom.’”
Working with his father, Hopper noted, was the same “great nightmare” for him as it was for all the other actors who weren’t related to the director.
And on any project, he added, “if I messed up on the film the first day, I’d be fired just like everyone else. Or, if I was terrible, I’ll be terrible. And I have been terrible.”
