Why does Julia Louis-Dreyfus lie about being the daughter of a billionaire?

When Rolling Stone asked about her father’s firm, the Louis Dreyfus corporation, which had holdings in energy, soybean-crushing plants and real estate – and recently donated $1 million to help eradicate voter suppression – she clarified that it’s her father’s business that’s valued in billions. “I’ve been attached to that,” she said. “It’s unbelievable, because whatever I do, people just assume it’s true. Welcome to the fuckin’ Internet.”

Her parents are divorced and she didn't live with him growing up. It really isn't her business, but then again, it's been a family-inherited business for some time. Her dad didn't make all of it.

She's been successful since she was 21, so she's never really needed the money - although it probably helped her in being more selective in her roles.

She used to flat out lie about the connection. Now she dissembles.

She's probably embarrassed. She wants to be perceived as self-made.

Also, as a security consideration why boast about being the child of a billionaire? She's already famous enough. Our CEO had to have his kids coached on safe Facebooking... for fear they purposely or accidentally told the world daddy had millions... so at her level, the stakes for her safety and her kids safety is higher.

Because she's better than you OP!

[quote]She used to flat out lie about the connection. Now she dissembles.

So true.

I'd love to do comedy.

If I had ZERO money worries I'd pursue it full time.

JL-D is one of the coolest women in entertainment. It's not cool to joke about being the daughter of a billionaire. She is the only woman who has won three Emmy awards for three different television series.

She was amazing in "Enough Said", one of the best performances on film last year. She deserved an Academy Award nomination. Who would ever thought that of Elaine, or the painfully hilarious Christine.

Julia is so good that people hardly notice how finely tuned and nuanced her talent is. Veep is not the best show, but she is a freaking funny beast. She may seem the same because she is a midget, but she is one of the most talented actresses around and she keeps surprising. A great success. All on her own. She is married to the most ordinary guy, can sing pretty well, is a good liberal and a great broad.

Love her.

r8 Julia's PR people are on DL. But yes I agree that she is wonderful.

That was amazing R8. I love a good shill post.

Why should she talk about it? What does it have to do with her work?

Thanks R10. The truth is easy to tell.

What should she say - that she's the luckiest bitch on earth

She was the best looking cast member of Seinfeld. As the best looking cast member she has gotten many more opportunities than the others. The same pattern is true with most other groups whether it's on a show or a band. The entertainment industry is biased in favor of good looking people regardless of talent. Talent can be engineered by pr, writers and directors. Jerry chose to semi-retire otherwise he being the driver of Seinfeld's success would have gotten many more roles like Tim Allen did.

Does she have a billion in her checking account? No, and maybe they were never close, either. But she still grew up with a billionaire father and reaped many subtle and not-so-subtle advantages from it.

Not that I care, I love JLD, and her dad sounds like a progressive businessman. She has every right to make the distinctions between her life and a bunch of internet hooey. But it's annoying when rich kids try to act like they didn't get any special breaks in life.

[quote]She was the best looking cast member of Seinfeld.

Well, that's kinda damning her with faint praise.

But you're right, she does have a very pretty, distinctive face and that famous hair. And she NEVER AGES. Plus: slamming body.

She's flawless, without being freakish. Very "real world", but perfect and put-together. Top that off with talent, hilarious humor and a long, successful track record. She should be near legendary status by now.

Why don't they cast her in more films?

Veep is probably better than any movie she could do.

Love her too, and loved her in Enough Said, although the role wasn't much of a stretch. Anyone think she could do Chekov or Shakespeare?

[quote] the painfully hilarious Christine

Ohh Brother, you mean 88 painful, laugh free episodes.

Seinfeld only worked because of her.

There. I said it.

"She was the best looking cast member of Seinfeld. As the best looking cast member she has gotten many more opportunities than the others."

Um, she was the best-looking cast member of SNL when she was on it, and they didn't give her jack shit. So there goes your theory.

Julia looks better these days than she did the during the Seinfeld years.

r23, it's funny you should say that because I've always wondered if they "dressed her down" on Seinfeld to fit in with the boys, ie if Elaine was overtly sexy in appearance or attire, then her presence with those three would not be believable.

R8 is wrong, Veep is hands down the funniest comedy on TV. Armando Iannucci is fucking brilliant. She's won her Emmys on that show for a reason. It's amazing, and she's amazing in it.

r21 You're daddy sucked my cock last night.

Shes a lying devious jew what do you expect?

I love JLD. Hope she's not bitchy in real life.

True, Seinfeld was much better because of her.

Maybe she and Anderson can create a support group for Children of the Overwhelmingly Rich Who Won't Inherit a Penny.

Poor bastards. I cry real tears for them.....

Julia took her dad to the recent Francois Hollande dinner at the White House.

Actually, r20, it worked because of two people.

She wasn't exactly a looker in her SNL or even most of her Seinfeld days. She wasn't unattractive, obviously, but far from the type of person who would get parts in the biz because of her looks. And I'm sure there were plenty of asshole casting directors and agents who told her she looked "too Jewish." Which is why she had to be funny.

She became a kind of hot babe as she hit middle age, plus our standards for beauty are quite different now. But I highly doubt any of her early career success had to do with her looks.

Wow. R14 has just stumbled upon the shocking realization that good looking people tend to excel in show biz.

Fascinating stuff. Truly.

OP, the way I interpreted that quote was "my father's business is worth billions of dollars, but that doesn't mean he's a billionaire." I'm sure he's still very, very rich - a multi-millionaire - but you can head or even have majority ownership of a billion dollar corporation but not be a billionaire yourself, since executives don't personally own all of the corporation's assets, and are more likely to instead receive a salary and stock options.

So all the references to her being the daughter of "a billionaire" are probably incorrect, though it's true her family's still probably filthy stinking rich.

I gave up on hating people for being born rich and/or beautiful a long time ago. It's really pointless since everyone is struggling, just some more than others. And rich daddies can be just as shitty if not shittier than poor daddies.

I agree that while JLD wasn't the only talent on Seinfeld, she's what made it the mega-success that it is. I also can't think of any other actress who could pull off the character of Selina on Veep. I'm a fan.

I always thought she must have had kind of a lonely childhood, being that her parents divorced when she was quite young, and had other daughters with their second spouse.

Maybe this outsider status informs her comic personae?

R36, I agree.

A rich daddy can be a blessing and a curse.

She's a foul-mouthed Jewess whose net worth is bigger than Clooney's and almost as big as Hillary's.

Why is Anti-Semitism tolerated on DL?

R41 We can't help it if JLD is loudmouthed, super-rich, and is a child of Israel.

I don't know that I'd work as hard if I had access to a trust fund. She clearly loves working and she's great at it. Only a tacky asshole would boast about wealth.

R41 This woman places herself in the public eye for us to despise OR Adore.

She's the commodity and we are the consumers.

I watched "Day by Day" just for Julia. Loved her as Eileen.

I sure wasn't watching for Doug Sheehan and Linda Kelsey!

It's not cool to joke about being the daughter of a billionaire because the Obama generation just LOVE Victimhood.

They think being a victim makes one superior.

Love JLD. She's a great comedic actress who seems to have earned it herself. She's someone where I really don't resent her for being born lucky.

R45, I kind of remember that show.

I think it's worth noting that most SNL women never have a post SNL gig that tops their work on that show. Particularly true of the first cast, but also true of Jan Hooks, Nora Dunn, Ana G, and Maya R.

Julia L-D is surely the exception to this rule!

Elaine got much more glam as the years went on....

Just because your parent has a lot of money, it doesn’t mean you get any. Jewish parents, IME, will ALWAYS spend money on their childrens’ education. And some create princesses. But most expect their children to work hard and make something of themselves, too.

I have a friend whose parents are wealthy and have a prestigious, centuries-old family business most of you have heard of. (Not billionaires, but definitely millionaires.)

She lives a very modest and middle-class life. You would never know. And I’ve met her family, and you’d never guess; they look completely middle class. I don’t really know the story; she is very close with her parents and works in the family business but she is NOT outwardly wealthy. She reminds me of Samantha Stevens in “Bewitched” because she seems to reject her ‘inheritance’ to live a completely ordinary life. Or maybe her parents didn’t raise her to be a princess and want her to earn her own way in life. Or maybe they taught her to keep it on the down low and not be flashy. They certainly aren’t. Every once in a while she lets a little detail slip that reminds me who they are. She’s never told me (a mutual acquaintance said “you know who her family is, right?”), but a few things I’ve gleaned over the years confirm it. I feel a little duplicitous because I don’t think she knows I know. But I couldn’t bring it up. And it has no bearing on our relationship.

Interesting stuff.

Are you still grumpy R41?

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pa3TmqOorZ6csm%2BvzqZmraCimq6le5Bsb29xYWqGbsPHsmSdp5WoeqvBy6KYZqSfqra0ecOrnLKepah6rbXEZpibp6WpeqOxyKeeZqyYmnqlrdSgn62domK8p3nAZpmipJyevK%2BtyKucZg%3D%3D

 Share!

• Share on Facebook
   
• Tweet
   
• Share on Google+
   
• Post to Tumblr
   
• Pin it
   
• Submit to Reddit