Steve Martin and Ben Stiller battled insults for a Pepsi Zero Sugar commercial for Super Bowl 2023.
The legendary actors were featured in a sneak peak for the ad, which took turns pelting each other with hilarious insults and dodgy comments, including Steve, 77, who called Ben, 57, a “nepo baby.”
The commercial comes at a perfect time as the discourse on nepotism babies has been at an all-time high, with multiple articles published and the “nepo babies” trying to step out of the shadow of their famous parents.
Known for his roles in films such as Zoolander, Night at the Museum and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Ben is the son of comedy couple Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.
In the spot, the Only Murders in the Building actor and the Madagascar actor stood side by side and talked to the camera about acting.
Head to head: Ben Stiller and Steve Martin fired hilarious jokes and punches at each other in a Pepsi commercial for the 2023 Super Bowl
“In a way, as actors, we never really stop acting,” Ben said. Steve then interjected, adding, “For example, Ben is acting like he’s not going to be intimidated right now when he’s standing next to me.”
Continuing the rapport, Ben said, “And Steve acts like he’s not lucky to be here.”
The Cheaper by the Dozen star then replied, “Oh, and Ben’s behavior like he’s doing this whole weird thing is a character and not his actual personality.”
The Tropic Thunder actor tried to reconsider the joke about his awkwardness, but instead struggled for words, with Steve saying, “See what I mean.”
Ben then called Steve a “banjo player,” and Steve responded by calling Ben a “nepo baby.”
After the nepotism comment, which Ben gracefully took up, he then turned to Steve and expressed that he is indeed a huge fan of his.
Steve then came back and said he was a big fan of Ben too.
Ben replied: ‘Really?’ and Steve hit back with, ‘I played.’
Jokes: The pair took turns sneak peaking to poke fun at each other
Jabs: ‘The Only Murders in the Building’ actor, 77, and Zoolander actor, 57, made a joke about acting, and then it escalated
The Ultimate Joke: At one point in the video, Steve called Ben a “nepo baby” in response to being called a “banjo player.”
The dispute over nepotism babies has been the talk of the entertainment industry for years; Recently, however, it has become a particularly hot topic of conversation.
It is clear that not all “Nepo babies” were created equal. Some have had almost their entire careers handed to them on a tray, while in others their handy ties were not even known to the general public well into their careers.
In December 2022, Vulture published an article entitled The Year of the Nepo Baby about the backlash against second-generation actors and media stars with famous parents.
Achievement: Ben is the son of comedy couple Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara; Ben and Jerry in 1998
Hot Topic: Nepotism babies have been a big topic of conversation lately, with articles coming out sharing the privilege that “nepo babies” enjoy in the entertainment industry; Stiller family in 2007
Since the article’s publication, many so-called “Nepo babies” have spoken out about their inevitable privilege within the industry.
Lily-Rose Depp, the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, spoke to Elle about being branded a nepotism babe.
“The internet seems to care a lot about such things. People will have preconceived notions about you or how you got there and I can definitely say nothing will get you into the role other than being right for the role.
The Rise of the “Nepo Babies”: In December, Vulture published an article entitled “The Year of the Nepo Baby”.
The Success: The Vulture article, along with others, focused on the backlash against second-generation actors and media stars with famous parents
Maya Hawke, the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, told Rolling Stone: “I think the only way to deal with the nepotism thing – which definitely gives you massive advantages in this life – is that you get chances for free, but the The opportunities will not be endless.’
She continued, “So you have to keep working and do a good job. If you do a bad job, the odds stop. That is my ethos.”
Included in the article was a large graphic showing the heads of notable nepotism babies photoshopped onto the baby’s bodies.
Privileged: Maya Hawke, the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, told Rolling Stone that having famous parents gives them an advantage, but they always have to work to get better; Ethan and Maya in 2018
Famous Parents: Lily-Rose Depp, the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, told Elle, “I can definitely say that nothing will get you into the role unless you’re the right person for the role”; Johnny and Lily on their Instagram
There was also a breakdown of almost every celebrity nepotism baby and who their parents are.
Some of the most famous “Nepo babies” are Timothee Chalamet, son of Marc Chalamet and Nicole Flender; Brooklyn Beckham, the son of David Beckham and Victoria Beckham; and Kate Hudson, daughter of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.
Others include Maude Apatow, daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann; Lily Collins, daughter of musician Phil Collins; and Jack Quaid, son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan.
Super famous: Brooklyn Beckham is one of the most notable ‘Nepo babies’ since he is the son of legendary soccer player David Beckham and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham