<p id=”par-1_70″>Sam Nivola called her girlfriend Iris Apatow “so amazing” during the season 3 premiere party for <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/hbo/?swcfpc=1″>HBO</a>‘s hit series <em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-white-lotus-season-3-filming-locations-revealed.html/”>The White Lotus</a></em>. The 21-year-old has caught the attention of pop culture fans as he lands high-profile roles and dates the daughter of comedy genius Judd Apatow. Learn more about <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/maude-apatow-determined-prove-shes-not-just-nepotism-baby.html/”>these nepo babies</a> in love and why they aren’t afraid to say it like it is concerning their industry privileges. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-white-lotus-star-sam-nivola-is-a-nepo-kid-along-with-his-girlfriend-iris-apatow”>‘The White Lotus’ star Sam Nivola is a ‘nepo kid’ along with his girlfriend Iris Apatow</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Dating-couple-Iris-Apatow-Sam-Nivola.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Dating couple Iris Apatow and Sam Nivola wear Burberry as they pause for photos at the Burberry 57th Street Store reopening” class=”wp-image-3782108″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Iris Apatow and Sam Nivola at an NYC Burberry store reopening on October 16, 2024 | Taylor Hill/Getty Images; Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-2_70″>Nivola jokingly told <a href=”https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/sam-nivola-white-lotus” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”><em>British Vogue</em></a> that he and <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/maude-apatow-sister-iris-apatow-scares-friends.html/”>Iris</a> belong to a “secret cabal of nepo kids who hang out in black robes.” In reality, the pair met in a very common way — through a mutual friend at a London bar. Now, Iris and Sam live together with their cat, Kumo, in New York City’s East Village. Dating since at least April 2024, Nivola says he’s “so in love.”</p>
<p id=”par-3_70″>He told <a href=”https://www.teenvogue.com/story/sam-nivola-iris-apatow-relationship-timeline” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Teen Vogue</a>, “I think the thing about moving in with someone is that when you’re this young, it’s always like, ‘Oh my God, you’re going to get sick of them.’ . . . then it’s going to be routine, and you’re going to feel like you’ve been in a marriage for 30 years. I don’t think that would happen with her anyway, just because we’re so in love.”</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-2″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Iris-Apatow-Sam-Nivola-nepo-babies.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Wearing a brown suit, Sam Nivola smiles with his girlfriend Iris Apatow at the season 3 premiere of HBO’s ‘The White Lotus'” class=”wp-image-3782109″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Sam Nivola and Iris Apatow at ‘The White Lotus’s season 3 premiere on February 10, 2025 | Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-4_67″>As they entered their committed relationship, Iris visited Sam in Thailand, where he filmed <em>The White Lotus</em> for several months. <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/meet-real-life-loves-the-white-lotus-season-3-cast.html/”>He called her a “lifesaver”</a> during production. “It was so great to have a taste of home because it was 10,000 miles away . . . it was so nice of her to sacrifice that time to come be with me. And I’m incredibly grateful to her.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-iris-apatow-comes-from-comedy-royalty”>Iris Apatow comes from comedy royalty</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-3″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Iris-Apatow-Leslie-Mann-Judd-Apatow-Maude-Apatow.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”The Apatow-Mann family, including Judd, Leslie, Maude, and Iris, smile on the red carpet at the premiere of Knocked Up in 2007″ class=”wp-image-3782107″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>(L) Leslie Mann, Judd Apatow, Maude Apatow, and Iris Apatow at the ‘Knocked Up’ premiere in 2007; the Apatow-Mann family at a media event in 2015 | Charley Gallay/Getty Images; Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-5_70″>If you’re familiar with Judd Apatow’s work, you’ve likely noticed a blonde, curly-haired little girl in the background of several of his comedies. Iris’s dad is the successful director, writer, and producer behind movies like <em>The 40-Year-Old Virgin</em> and <em>Trainwreck</em>. Judd wrote Iris and <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/judd-apatow-movie-daughter-maude-refuses-watch.html/”>her older sister, Maude</a>, into <em>Knocked Up</em>, <em>Funny People</em>, and <em>This Is 40</em>. They portrayed the daughters of Debbie, played by their real-life mom, Leslie Mann.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-4″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Judd-Apatow-Leslie-Mann-daughters-Iris-Maude.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”The Apatow-Mann family, including Judd, Leslie, Maude, and Iris, smile on the red carpet at the premiere of This Is 40″ class=”wp-image-3782103″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Iris Apatow, Judd Apatow, Maude Apatow, and Leslie Mann at the ‘This Is 40’ premiere in 2012 | Kevin Winter/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-6_74″>Mann, for her part, is a beloved actress known for her roles in <em>George of the Jungle</em>, <em>The Other Woman</em>, and many more. Iris got her natural blonde curls from her mom, who’s helped guide the 22-year-old’s acting career. From 2016 to 2018, Iris portrayed fan-favorite Arya Hopkins in the Netflix series <em>Love</em>, produced by Judd. She also appeared in <em>The Bubble</em>, a 2022 comedy directed by — you guessed it — <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/euphoria-star-maude-apatow-called-dad-hollywood-dick.html/”>her dad</a>.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-5″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Family-Iris-Apatow-Leslie-Mann-Judd-Apatow-Maude-Apatow.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”The Apatow-Mann family, including Judd, Leslie, Maude, and Iris, smile on the red carpet at the premiere of Welcome To Marwen” class=”wp-image-3782105″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Leslie Mann, Judd Apatow, Iris Apatow, and Maude Apatow at the premiere of ‘Welcome To Marwen’ in 2018 | Jerod Harris/WireImage</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-7_68″>Along the way, Iris found time to attend the University of Southern California and build a social media following. She shares fashion, travel, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of her life, often with 27-year-old Maude and friends like Billie Eilish, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/olivia-rodrigo-best-friend-iris-apatow.html/”>Olivia Rodrigo</a>, and Charli D’Amelio. Iris has previously been linked to another nepo baby, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/iris-apatow-ryder-robinson-official-whose-famous-parents-higher-net-worth.html/”>Ryder Robinson</a>, the son of Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson. But Sam Nivola stole her heart.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-sam-nivola-comes-from-a-family-of-respected-screen-and-stage-actors”>Sam Nivola comes from a family of respected screen and stage actors</h2>
<p id=”par-8_82″>Sam Nivola may not have Iris’s broad acting résumé just yet. However, the 21-year-old is quickly establishing himself as an emerging actor in Hollywood. His dad, Alessandro Nivola, is a Tony Award-nominated stage and screen actor known for his roles in <em>American Hustle</em>, <em>Selma</em>, <em>The Brutalist</em>, and many more. The Boston native has been married to Sam’s mom, British actress and filmmaker Emily Mortimer, for 22 years. You might recognize Mortimer from <em>Lars and the Real Girl</em>, <em>Shutter Island</em>, or <em>The Newsroom</em>.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-6″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Emily-Mortimer-Alessandro-Nivola-kids-Sam-Nivola.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Wearing a black suit, 15-year-old Sam Nivola poses with his parents and sister on the red carpet at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City” class=”wp-image-3782104″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola with their children at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City | Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival</figcaption></figure>
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<p id=”par-9_90″>Sam grew up with his parents and younger sister in Brooklyn. He made his major film debut in 2022 comedy-drama <em>White Noise</em> before starring in psychological thriller <em>Eileen</em> and the critically acclaimed drama <em>Maestro</em> in 2023. His first major TV role involved the Netflix mystery drama miniseries <em>The Perfect Couple</em>, starring Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber. Add his <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/cost-stay-real-white-lotus-hotel-thailand.html/”>starring role in <em>The White Lotus</em> season 3</a> to his roster, and we have a feeling you’ll be seeing a lot more of Sam — and his girlfriend Iris — in the future.</p>