Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic
Steven Spielberg’s daughter, Destry Spielberg, is addressing claims of nepotism when it comes to her upcoming short film,The Rightway.
After Franklin Leonard, the founder of The Black List and contributing editor atVanity Fair, shared an article about the children of several Hollywood stars working on the project together, hetweeted, “Hollywood’s a meritocracy, right?”
Destry responded to Leonard’s remarks on Twitter, saying. “I worked hard to get to where I am” before acknowledging her “privilege.”
“I am just a young aspiring female filmmaker who admires the art of cinema. People can argue nepotism, but I know deep down that I worked hard to get where I am and it wasn’t easy. Beyond proud of this film and proud of the team it took to make it,” Destry wrote in a since-deleted tweet, perE! News.
In a follow-up statement, which still remains on her Twitter account, the daughter of the Oscar-winning directoradded, “I acknowledge that i was born with privilege! I own that through and through! I make it my mission to bring new talent into the industry & give opportunities to artists of all backgrounds. No one should be left out because of the connections they dont have.”
Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
Destry’s response came afterBen Stillergot into a lengthy debate with Leonard when he chose to defend the work ethic of Hollywood offspring.
Stiller, 55 — who is the son of comedy legends Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara — responded to Leonard’s tweet, writing, “Too easy @franklinleonard. People, working, creating. Everyone has their path. Wish them all the best.”
In response, Leonard tweeted back, “I do, without fail, but I also think it’s important that we acknowledge those paths.”
TheZoolanderstar then wrote, “Yes. Just speaking from experience, and I don’t know any of them, I would bet they all have faced challenges. Different than those with no access to the industry. Show biz as we all know is pretty rough, and ultimately is a meritocracy.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I don’t for a second doubt that they’ve all faced challenges,” Leonard continued the debate. “They’re human. I simply reject the claim that the industry is - in the short term or long term - a meritocracy.”
“If it were, how do you explain the utter lack of diversity behind the camera? Lack of merit?” he added.
Stiller then tweeted, “100 percent agree. Diversity is much bigger issue. No question. And I see your point, access is access. So yes. I’m saying that untalented people don’t really last if they get a break because of who they are or know or are related to.”
Leonard hit back, citing “other factors” that prevent those without connections in Hollywood from breaking out, such as “who they know, colonial legacy, sexism, whatever.”
RELATED VIDEO: Zoë Kravitz Reveals Why Her ‘Different’ & Famous Parents Would Embarrass Her as a Kid
“It’s not just access. It’s undervaluation. It’s active discrimination. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Hollywood film C-suite is the least diverse sector in American business. Less diverse than Trump’s cabinet,” Leonard tweeted at Stiller, before adding a gif that read, “Those are the facts.”
Stiller simply responded with a gif ofSteve CarellfromThe Office, in which he says, “I am dead inside.”
After the episode aired, Leonard shared a clip of the segment on Twitter, where hewrotethat he “did not anticipate this being the result of my stating the simple fact that Hollywood is not a meritocracy along any timeline.”
“I say again: If you believe it’s a meritocracy, explain Hollywood’s utter lack of diversity behind the camera,” headded.
source: people.com
