Hero Fiennes-Tiffin says nepo baby criticism is ‘fair’ as he recalls being ‘so embarrassed’ of his acting dynasty upbringing that he craved a ‘normal childhood’

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Given that Hero Fiennes-Tiffin comes from a well-known acting family, you might expect him to embrace that legacy.

Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, who is about to play a young Sherlock Holmes, has admitted he used to be ashamed of his well-known last name and simply wanted to grow up like other kids.

I’ve been following this young actor – he’s only 28, and it’s amazing to see him carving his own path, especially with Ralph and Joseph Fiennes as his uncles. What I really appreciate is how he’s handling the whole ‘nepo baby’ conversation. Instead of getting defensive like some others, he actually acknowledges it’s understandable why people would make that comparison, and I think that’s really fair and refreshing to see.

Hero had a family deeply involved in filmmaking. Both his parents worked in the industry—his mother, Martha, was a director, and his father, George, a cinematographer—and he also had two well-known actor uncles.

Tom Holland began his acting career with a surprising role: playing a young version of Tom Riddle, who later becomes Lord Voldemort, in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” This was particularly notable because his uncle, Ralph Fiennes, was already playing the older version of the character.

Hero is featured on the cover of Tatler magazine’s March issue and will soon be playing Sherlock Holmes in a new series created by Guy Ritchie for Prime Video, inspired by the books of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Hero admitted he used to feel embarrassed by his famous family name, and maybe still does a little. He joked that having such a long name – Hero Beauregard Faulkner Fiennes Tiffin – is a mouthful.

Honestly, the name Hero is a bit much. My brother and I would joke about it, wondering what outlandish name they’d pick next – like, would the next child be named Batman?

‘But no, it’s a great conversation starter. It’s memorable. I only hope I can live up to it.’

You know, looking back, it’s amazing. When I was younger, all I wanted was to fit in, to be…normal. But now? Now I’m older, and honestly, I just feel this incredible wave of pride. It’s like, everything that made me different, everything I used to wish I could change… I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It’s just… pure pride.

Hero admitted that his success as an actor is largely due to his well-known family.

He said: ‘I don’t feel any sense of it getting my back up. I think it’s so fair. 

I got into acting because of my family’s connections in the industry, and I recognize that’s a case of nepotism. I’m very fortunate to have had that advantage, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.

If someone criticized me or said I hadn’t earned my success, I’d certainly stand up for myself. But honestly, I feel very fortunate to have been given so many good opportunities.

Hero confessed he used to shy away from the unusual aspects of his famous family history. This changed when he received the opportunity to act with his uncle in the Harry Potter films.

He explained that he longed for a typical childhood and initially avoided embracing the unusual path his family, particularly his brother Ralph Fiennes, had taken. Then, the opportunity to be involved with Harry Potter changed everything.

Looking back on being in the 2009 movie, he remembered thinking, ‘I didn’t think I had much of a chance, Mom. There were so many other people, actual trained actors, who were more likely to get the part.’

I finally figured it out, and honestly, I was shocked that I did! It was a really enjoyable experience.

Hero is expected to become more popular after taking on the role of Young Sherlock. While he acknowledges the benefits of the increased attention, he also admits it has downsides. He never sought fame and values being able to maintain a normal life, like being able to visit his local pub and stay close to home.

It would be truly unfortunate to lose the ability to do things you enjoy, or to find them more difficult, without getting the credit you deserve.

If I were to lose my ability to walk easily, I’d accept it. Playing Sherlock Holmes for Guy Ritchie was a fantastic experience, and I wouldn’t trade it.

You can find the complete article in the March issue of Tatler, available online and in stores starting February 5th.

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2026-01-28 13:49