William Mapother

Nepotism is certainly a commonplace thing in many industries and Hollywood is no different. Plenty of individuals have landed gigs thanks to who they know, but the trick for success is to prove you've got more than connections. For William Mapother, cousin of Tom Cruise, that opportunity came when he was cast as the hot-tempered estranged husband of a woman (Marisa Tomei) having an affair with a much younger man (Nick Stahl) in Todd Field's feature directorial debut "In the Bedroom" (2001). With bleached blond hair and a beard, Mapother proved a menacing figure, yet he also managed to convey the humanity of a man capable of extreme actions. His delicately nuanced performance demonstrated he had the chops to succeed on his own.