Stellan Skarsgard joked that he’s a ‘nepo daddy’ — six of his eight children have followed him into acting — but he admits the ‘nepo baby’ tag isn’t all fun and games.
The 74-year-old Swedish star revealed that his youngest, 13-year-old son Kolbjorn, is feeling the sting of the label.
Kolbjorn recently landed a role in the horror series Blood Cruise, stepping into the family business alongside famous older brothers, True Blood star Alexander Skarsgard and It’s Pennywise the Clown himself, Bill Skarsgard.
On Wednesday, Stellan told Vulture he doesn’t consider his kids ‘nepo babies’ — a term for someone whose success is tied to family connections — but added, ‘I consider myself a nepo daddy because I get so much goodwill.’
Yet the actor admits there’s a darker side to the nickname.
‘But my 13-year-old, Kolbjorn, the youngest, suffers from that,’ he said.
Stellan Skarsgard joked that he’s a ‘nepo daddy’ — six of his eight children have followed him into acting — but he admits the ‘nepo baby’ tag isn’t all fun and games; (pictured 2025)
The 74-year-old Swedish star revealed that his youngest, 13-year-old son Kolbjorn, is feeling the sting of the label; (Stellan poses with wife Megan Everett and Kolbjorn in July)
‘When his pals at school call him nepo baby, he gets so sad. He doesn’t have any friends at school. He gets isolated. Cruel kids — or cruel and ignorant.
‘They love it on the internet. But it is such a bullshit thing. Because nobody would hire you, at least not for anything good, if you’re not good enough.’
Stellan’s sprawling family tree is almost as famous as the actor himself.
In April 1975, he married Swedish doctor My, and together they had six children: Alexander (1976), Gustaf (1980), Sam (1982), Bill (1990), Eija (1992), and Valter (1995).
Alexander, Gustaf, Bill, and Valter all followed in their father’s footsteps as actors, while Eija spent a few years modeling.
Sam took a different path and became a doctor.
After divorcing My in 2007, Stellan tied the knot with Irish screenwriter and producer Megan Everett in January 2009.
The couple share sons, Ossian, 15, and Kolbjorn.
‘When his pals at school call him nepo baby, he gets so sad. He doesn’t have any friends at school. He gets isolated. Cruel kids — or cruel and ignorant,’ (pictured 2024)
‘They love it on the internet. But it is such a bullshit thing. Because nobody would hire you, at least not for anything good, if you’re not good enough,’ Stellan said; (Ossian, Kolbjorn, Megan and Stellan in 2024)
Meanwhile, Stellan’s son Alexander is also generating awards buzz for his steamy, X-rated turn in Pillion; (pictured 2025)
Stellan’s brood also includes Bill Skarsgård, best known as the terrifying Pennywise the Clown; (pictured 2024)
Asked how he keeps such a close bond with his large brood, Stellan, who welcomed his first grandchild in 2022, told Vulture that it comes down to being respected for who he is, not just for being their dad.
‘They have no respect for me just because I’m their father. Because that’s bulls***. You shouldn’t be respected for five minutes of joy,’ he explained.
‘No, I don’t demand respect for being a father. I demand respect for a good idea or if I do something well or if I create something for them.’
The interview comes as Stellan is generating Oscar buzz for his turn as an aging filmmaker and family patriarch in the Norwegian drama Sentimental Value.
And he was asked about the sociopolitical arena he’s entering with an awards campaign like the Oscars.
‘The Oscars have their place, he told Vulture. ‘They are good for the business, and they’re good for independent films because there are many films that wouldn’t be seen at all if it wasn’t for the Oscars.’
He continued, ‘Is it fair? You can’t compete in any art, so it’s a silly concept, but it is a lot of people voting on what they think is the best of the films they’ve seen.
‘I do it myself every year. The thing is that it costs a lot of money to participate in that race.
‘And fortunately we have American distributors that are paying for it because no European film company could afford it.’
Meanwhile, Stellan’s son Alexander is also generating awards buzz for his steamy, X-rated turn in Pillion.
The film, a gay BDSM romance, pairs Skarsgård with Harry Melling, 36 — best known as Dudley Dursley in Harry Potter — and marks the feature debut of writer-director Harry Lighton.
Pillion explores the intense relationship between a gay biker and a parking attendant.
It earned rapturous applause at a recent screening during the 69th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall.
After receiving critical acclaim at Cannes Film Festival, it was revealed Pillion was heavily edited down due to its graphic nature.
The movie received an eight-minute standing ovation, but director Lighton admitted that the version screened at the iconic film festival had been edited down significantly due to its graphic sex scenes.
