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Sam Nivola has captured the spotlight with his impressive performance in The White Lotus season 3. The young actor, son of Alessandro Nivola and British actress Emily Mortimer, has often been labeled a “nepo baby.” However, Nivola insists that his success is the result of his own efforts, not his famous family background.
In the HBO series, Nivola took on the role of Lochlan Ratliff, acting alongside established names such as Jason Isaacs, Walton Goggins, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Michelle Monaghan. His portrayal quickly earned him recognition and applause from both critics and audiences.
Addressing the ongoing nepotism debate in Hollywood, Nivola shared in an interview with Variety that he takes pride in building his career independently. “Other than my genes, I don’t think I can attribute much of my success to my parents,” he explained. “I feel proud that I’ve done it for myself, and sometimes in spite of them.” He further revealed that he intentionally avoided relying on family connections when starting out. “I didn’t get my dad’s agent to call up so-and-so. I did it by myself. I didn’t want to give anyone an excuse to say that anything I’ve achieved has been because of anyone other than me. And I’m proud of that.”
Despite his determination, Nivola admitted that his parents were concerned when he chose to drop out of college to fully commit to acting. “My parents were upset. It totally scared them, which is understandable,” he said. “I wasn’t happy at the time because I couldn’t dedicate everything in me to acting. And I have problems with authority figures.”
While he grew up surrounded by fame, Nivola confessed that he wasn’t prepared for the level of recognition that came after The White Lotus. He recalled how overwhelming the attention became: “When The White Lotus was at its peak, I literally couldn’t walk down the street in Brooklyn—my hometown—without being swarmed.”
With his breakthrough role and rising profile, Nivola is steadily proving that his talent, rather than his lineage, is shaping his path in Hollywood. Fans can catch all seasons of The White Lotus on HBO.