Washington DC [US], October 28 (ANI): Actress Jessica Biel has said she does not want her son, Silas Timberlake, to receive acting opportunities simply because he belongs to a famous family, emphasising that he must earn his place in the entertainment industry, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Biel, who shares two sons with singer and actor Justin Timberlake, discussed her family's approach to navigating Hollywood and her 11-year-old son's interest in acting during an appearance on the ‘Great Chat Show’, hosted by Josh Smith. Silas recently made his feature film debut in ‘Matchbox: The Movie’, in which Biel also stars.
When asked whether the family had discussed how to navigate the entertainment industry's challenges, Biel said, "Yes, we've talked about it a lot. It's a constantly evolving conversation."
The actor described Silas as a child with a natural interest in music and performance. She said he enjoys being a DJ, creates music and has a playful, theatrical side that has contributed to his interest in acting.
"Our son Silas, whose 11 now, who’s in the ‘Matchbox’ movie at the end, he’s a DJ. He has incredible music. He just has that innately and is interested in that and also has this like comedy streak and this theatrical kind of funny, silly kind of quality. And he’s been talking to us about, yeah, wanting to be an actor. So this is coming up a lot," she said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Biel explained that the opportunity for Silas to appear in ‘Matchbox: The Movie’ came about when producer Jules Daly approached her about a small role for her son.
"She came to me, and she goes, “There’s this little part. Do you think Silas would want to do something like this?’" Biel recalled.
Initially, the actor was uncertain about involving her son in the project because she and Timberlake prefer to keep their children away from the public spotlight. However, she reconsidered when she realised that Silas would be accompanying her to Budapest, where she was scheduled to work for seven weeks.
She said the opportunity offered him something to look forward to, particularly because he had already expressed an interest in acting.
Biel added that Daly's involvement as a producer and the limited nature of Silas' role helped her and Timberlake feel comfortable with the decision. She also made it clear that she would not have agreed if the part had required a substantial speaking performance.
Explaining the lesson she wanted to teach her son, Biel said, "The other thing I was talking to him, Silas, about is, you know, there are kids who work really hard and they go to acting class and they're in theater class and they're doing all the work. You cannot just take a part from that person just because you are my son. Like, that is not cool. We're not doing that."
She added, "So this is a special opportunity because it's really teeny tiny. Moreover, if he had a big monologue, I wouldn't let him do it. You would have to earn that part because we're not starting that."
The ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ actor further stressed that she did not want her son to assume that being part of a well-known family would automatically open doors for him.
"We're not starting like, oh, you just get handed a bunch of opportunities because you're part of this family," she said.
Biel also recalled how Silas' first day on the film set became an important learning experience. According to the actor, her son was upset after spending the entire day on set without being called to work.
"The first day he was on set, he didn't work at all. And he was so upset about it. He was like, 'I just don't understand! I've been here all day.' He got really mad about it, and I was like, 'This is what it is. Welcome. They will call you in, and you will sit for 12 hours. Do you still want to be an actor?'" she recalled, as per the outlet.
Biel described the experience as the best lesson for her son, adding that he returned to the set the following day and got to work.
"And the next day he came, and he worked. And it was sweet. It was cool," she said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Biel and Timberlake married in 2012 and welcomed their first son, Silas, in 2015. Their second son, Phineas, was born in 2020. (ANI)
Jessica Biel says son Silas must “earn” acting opportunities, won’t let him benefit from famous family
