I'm primarily an actor in LA, but recently went behind the camera to make my first short film "Kodar: The Primordial God of Light and Ether", starring Maddie Ziegler. Ask me anything!
I think a lot of people would be shocked by the amount of "name" actors who still audition for roles. I'm not yet a "name" but have some friends who might be considered one, and they still have to grind and audition for pretty much any decent script/project that's put in front of them. Unless you really break into that top one percent of celebrity status, you're always fighting for the next job. Which is also why a lot of actors have started to make their own content, kind of flipping the power dynamics and giving yourself more control in your career as opposed to waiting for the phone to ring.
I’d say it’s the same amount of nepotism as pretty much any other industry. If you know someone or are related to someone important, you’re afforded more access and opportunity earlier in your career. But even still, if you have that advantage, you still gotta show up and do good work!