Andie MacDowell Says She's Experiencing 'Reverse Nepotism' Thanks to Daughter Margaret Qualley: 'I'm Now Cool'

Mar. 15, 2025

Andie MacDowell and Margaret Qualley attend the New York premiere of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ on Feb. 20, 2024.Photo:Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty

Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty

Andie MacDowellis redefining nepotism with a little help from her movie star daughter,Margaret Qualley.

TheFour Weddings and a Funeralstar, 66, joked on a Thursday, Jan. 23 episode ofThe Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallonthat she’s experiencing something called “reverse nepotism.” As she explained, her proximity to her daughter — who stars inThe Substancealongside Demi Moore — has made her “cool.”

“I am now [what] they always accuse the children of,” MacDowell said, seemingly referring to the idea of “nepo babies.”

“But I’m now cool because I’m Margaret Qualley’s mom and alsoJack Antonoff’s mother-in-law. So it’s a double whammy. [I get] letters in the mailbox. ‘I think you’re wonderful,’ and you know, they’re 13!”

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MacDowell also had high praise for her 30-year-old daughter, who she shares with ex-husband, Paul Qualley. In addition to Margaret, she’s also mom to son Justin Qualley, 38, and daughter Rainey Qualley, 35.

“The movie is fantastic. She takes so many chances,” MacDowell told Fallon of Margaret’s role inThe Substance. “She’s so much braver than I could’ve ever been, she really carved her own road and I’m super, super proud of her.”

Still, MacDowell isn’t the first creative to jokingly claim “reverse” nepotism. In August,Dennis Quaidspoke with ET about his sonJack Quaidand how he’s been getting “all these jobs from all these directors.”

“I say, ‘How bout a little help over here?’ I don’t mind the nepo thing myself, OK,” he joked. “Reverse nepo, I’ll take it!”

Andie MacDowell and Margaret Qualley atend the AFI Awards Luncheon at Beverly Wilshire on March 11, 2022.Michael Kovac/Getty

Michael Kovac/Getty

As for Qualley and MacDowell, the love for each other’s careers is mutual. Back in May, MacDowelltold PEOPLE at the Cannes Film Festivalthat both of her daughters use her for style inspiration.

“And Rainey does it, too,” she added.

The actress also shared that she was happy that her daughters had been saving her old modeling work. “It made me feel good. Because I do that to them, obviously. I’m always like, ‘I want this and let’s save this picture. I want that.’ But to have them do the same to me … makes me feel really good,” she said.

MacDowell — who stars in the Hallmark Channel’sThe Way Home— has also shown love to her son-in-lawJack Antonoff, who wed Margaret in August 2023.

During a2024 appearanceonThe Drew Barrymore Show, the actress called the music producer “nice” and said the pair are “really good together….they’re fun and very well matched.”

“I feel very lucky that she ended up with someone who suits her,” MacDowell said. “She’s an interesting character; she needed someone who can match her. She’s brilliant too, she’s very artistic.”

source: people.com