The 'nepo baby' accusations are coming thick and fast

There's no doubt that Timothée Chalamet is a decent actor who has landed roles in some big films since his breakthrough in 'Call Me By Your Name' back in 2017.

However, a throwaway comment by his agent on Twitter has opened a can of worms in relation to Chalamet's status as a 'nepo baby'.

When news broke over the weekend that our own Paul Mescal is favourite to take the lead in Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator 2', according to Deadline, other unconfirmed reports suggested that Austin Butler, Miles Teller and Timothee Chalamet had also been in the running for the role.

Chalamet's agent Brian Swardstrom took to Twitter to shut down the rumour, saying that not only was he shooting 'Dune 2' in recent months, but his client 'hasn't auditioned for anything in more than 7 years'.

However, his comment has sparked another debate about how actors like Chalamet receive preferential treatment, perhaps due to his family connections in the business.

Many are not aware that Chalamet is a member of the Flender family: his grandfather Harold Flender was a writer/screenwriter, his uncle Rodman Flender is a director, and even his mother Nicole Flender has acted in the past.

Now - particularly with the recent 'nepo baby' debate raging - some have speculated that the fact that Chalamet hasn't had to audition for a role in seven years is an example of the privilege he is afforded by his family connections in the industry.

Others have claimed that it's all down to his talent and hard work.

Neither Chalamet nor Swardstrom have made any further comment.