This week, actors Jennifer Aniston and Sebastian Stan sat down to talk about TV, acting, and the idea of fame in 2022 for Variety's Actors on Actors series.
View this video on YouTube
When discussing Sebastian's role as Tommy Lee and the musician's leaked/stolen sex tape with Pamela Anderson, Jen said that it was then — the late '90s and early 2000s — that this idea of being famous just for being famous began.
She said it occurred, "right at the time when the internet really shaped a new culture about people becoming famous. This thing of people becoming famous for basically doing nothing. I mean — Paris Hilton, Monica Lewinsky, all those."
“I feel so lucky that we got a little taste of the industry before it became what it is today," the Friends actor added.
"More streaming services — you’re famous from TikTok, you're famous from YouTube, you're famous from Instagram."
"It’s almost, like, it’s diluting the actor’s job," she added.
Those comments definitely didn't sit well with people, who called out the fact that Jennifer's parents were famous actors — John Aniston and Nancy Dow.
jennifer aniston (nepotism baby) wants to talk about diluting the actors job. right. https://t.co/ODZtBDzDVU
mind you, her parents are actors. https://t.co/bcqe2RboIU
do NOT google jennifer aniston parents https://t.co/eZQDqFhYPa
what is she talking about she literally got in cuz shes a nepo baby lmao 😭 https://t.co/Ynl7cnpFBg
Others brought up how during Jen's rise to fame, it wasn't exactly always based on merit either:
Casting directors literally used to go up to pretty girls they randomly met and offer them roles if they ‘said’ they could act 💀 https://t.co/Fpc1XSvZk0
"i miss it when you could only get famous when you were already privileged and rich" thats what shes saying https://t.co/VTEs8fHupN
back in my day you needed to WORK to get famous from an all-caucasian tv show set in new york city https://t.co/GMckkfCOQX
But in general, the comments made by Jen just really didn't go over well:
people are so angry that the industry is more diverse, more inclusive of people from all backgrounds who had nothing but a phone to prop up to showcase their dream when their communities were probably underfunded and overlooked. let’s keep making em mad. https://t.co/HlcN2uedDB
they’re so mad they can’t gatekeep the title of celebrity to stay in their weird nepotism Hollywood elite 💀 https://t.co/2VdahZGDxd