In a recent interview with Variety, 21-year-old actor Sam Nivola, known for his breakout performance in The White Lotus Season 3, openly criticized the trend of older Hollywood stars using plastic surgery to maintain a youthful appearance and continue landing roles typically meant for younger actors. He asserted that this dynamic “is not giving any space for the young’uns to move in and make a name for themselves.” Nivola emphasized that, “with all due respect to those people, one day they won’t be here anymore… and they will have to create new stars” (source).
Nivola cited Timothée Chalamet as one rare example of a rising talent whose youthful appeal and acting depth make him a standout star—but stressed that such genuine new icons are few and far between (source).
View this post on Instagram
Reflecting on broader industry trends, the actor lamented that studios have become overly conservative, relying on data to forecast profits rather than take creative risks. “They’ve Moneyball-ed the film industry!” he declared, explaining that this metric-driven approach has sidelined genres like comedy that often require experimentation and daring storytelling (source).
On a personal note, Nivola remains grounded in his craft despite being the son of actors Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola. In the same interview, he reiterated that his success is the result of his own efforts, not industry connections. He is soon set to appear in the comedy Driver’s Ed, directed by Bobby Farrelly, alongside standouts such as Kumail Nanjiani and Molly Shannon (source).