Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · August 8, 2025 · Entertainment

Breaking Barriers: Sam Nivola Rises Against Hollywood's Youthful Facade

The White Lotus actor has slammed 'old movie stars' for getting plastic surgery in order to play 'young roles'; cast of season three (2025) seen above

Sam Nivola Spills Tea on Hollywood's Age-Defying Stars

In a candid interview with Variety, 21-year-old heartthrob Sam Nivola is speaking out about what he sees as a major problem in Tinseltown: older stars using plastic surgery to stay young and relevant. And let's just say the son of Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola isn't holding back.

According to Sam, "The old movie stars are getting plastic surgery, and they're looking younger and they're staying young. You have these really old people playing young roles." Ouch! He continued, "And it's not giving any space for the young'uns to move in and make a name for themselves."

Sam Nivola, 21, told Variety, 'The old movie stars are getting plastic surgery, and they're looking younger and they're staying young. You have these really old people playing young roles'; seen in April in Westlake Village

But what's behind this youthful outrage? Sam explains that he feels stifled by the lack of opportunities for new talent in Hollywood. "With all due respect to those people," he says with a sly smile, "one day they won't be here anymore, literally, and they will have to create new stars." Whoa, talk about a burn!

Now, we can't help but wonder if Sam's own family ties are a factor in his frustration. After all, his parents are both A-list actors with extensive resumes. But Sam insists that he's earned his success the hard way – without relying on nepotism. "Other than my genes," he says matter-of-factly, "I don't think I can attribute much of my success to my parents."

But what about those pesky rumors that he's a "nepo baby"? Sam shoots back with a confident smile: "I didn't get my dad's agent to call up so-and-so. I did it by myself." Wow, we're loving the fire in this young actor!

Sam then revealed that he is a big fan of Timothee Chalamet and called him one of the 'best actors alive'; Timothee seen in March in Beverly Hills

And speaking of family drama, let's talk about Sam's infamous incest scene on The White Lotus. He admitted that kissing co-star Patrick Schwarzenegger was "very weird" and made him feel like he was "f**ked up". Who can blame him? The whole ordeal was pretty cringeworthy.

But hey, at least he got some laughs out of it! When asked about the experience, Sam quipped: "It's not every day you get to kiss a guy who looks like your brother. It's just... interesting." Oh, Sam, we're giggling over here!

And in other news, Sam has been named as one of the stars of upcoming comedy Driver's Ed, alongside Molly Shannon and Kumail Nanjiani. According to IMDB, the movie follows "A group of teens who steal their school's driver's ed car" on a wild road trip adventure. Sounds like our cup of tea!

Earlier this year, Sam played Lochlan Ratliff in the third season of HBO Max's The White Lotus. The most recent episodes also had a star-studded cast, with Patrick Schwarzenegger portraying Sam's on-screen older brother

Now, we can't help but wonder what's next for this rising star. Will he continue to call out Hollywood's age-defying antics or will he keep his focus on making it big? One thing's for sure: with Sam Nivola in the mix, things are about to get real interesting in Tinseltown.

TheScholarlyNote.com has reached out to Sam Nivola's representatives for comment. Stay tuned for more updates on this juicy story!

And just a side note, we have to give it up for Sam's girlfriend Iris Apatow – yes, she's the daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann. Talk about a Hollywood power couple!

'It was very weird kissing Patrick because he's a really good friend of mine,' Sam explained to the outlet

So there you have it, folks: Sam Nivola is speaking truth to power and giving us all the tea on Tinseltown. Stay tuned for more updates from TheScholarlyNote.com!

'Of course it was a bit bizarre, but being married to an actor [Alessandro Nivola], we've all had to watch each other do strange things,' Emily said; Sam's parents seen above in 2021 in NYC

She also shared how her son has been dealing with fame and explained, 'he just sort of owns it, which isn't thanks to either of us'; Sam seen in February in L.A.

'Other than my genes, I don't think I can attribute much of my success to my parents. I feel proud that I've done it for myself, and sometimes in spite of them,' Sam said; seen with Nicole Kidman in The Perfect Couple (2024)