The actress addresses online abuse and nepotism criticism following her casting in a major streaming series, as debate around industry privilege resurfaces.
Francesca Scorsese has spoken out against a wave of online abuse after announcing her casting in the second series of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, describing the level of personal criticism as among the worst she has experienced.
The 26-year-old daughter of director Martin Scorsese, 83, shared her response to her online attackers in a TikTok video after reposting news of her role in the Prime Video series, which has been renewed following the success of its first season.
Her casting marks a significant step in Francesca’s acting career, which has unfolded alongside the enduring influence of her father, known for films including Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and The Irishman.
The series, a reimagining of the 2005 film, has remained a trending topic following its debut, with anticipation building around its second season and new cast additions.
Francesca said about being hit with a flood of trolling: “It has some of the worst comments I have ever seen about me.” She added: “I understand. I know I have doors opened for me.”
Francesca was referring to criticism labelling her a “nepo baby”, acknowledging the advantages of her background while defending her commitment to her work.
She added: “Like, I’m still trying to do the work, I’m still going hard and being passionate and creating and doing the work.“But I think if you go on people’s videos and you seek out negativity, you are a very, very sad person.”
The actress went on to describe the nature of the abuse, recounting comments that targeted her appearance.
She said: “I get it – I’m not the most beautiful girl in the world. I’m not the skinniest girl in the whole world. I’m chubby, I know it.
“But like, what the f*** does it matter?”
She also warned about the wider consequences of online harassment, saying: “There’s so many trolls and so many bots and people that just go on to just try to ruin somebody’s day or make somebody feel like s***.”
She added: “This is the kind of thing that causes people to lose their lives – like, your words have power behind them.”
Francesca said she had already left X due to similar experiences and expressed concern that TikTok was becoming similarly hostile.
She said: “But come on, guys. I just want TikTok to be a better place like I feel like it used to be.”
Her comments come amid continued discussion around nepotism in the film and television industry – a debate frequently associated with high-profile families such as the Scorseses.
Martin, whose body of work spans decades of acclaimed cinema also including Raging Bull and The Wolf of Wall Street, has previously spoken about becoming a father to Francesca later in life.
Speaking on SiriusXM’s This Life of Mine with James Corden in 2024, he said: “It was extraordinary and by that point, I was 56 and it was a different perspective on life.”
He added: “This was like some special blessing of some kind.”
Francesca’s role in Mr. and Mrs. Smith season two has not been fully detailed, though reports from Deadline indicate she will form part of a new central pairing in the anthology-style series.
Francesca Scorsese hits back at wave of trolling over her looks and ‘repo baby’ status
