Why Jessica Biel Didn't Want Son Silas Having a Bigger Matchbox Role

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Jessica Biel isn't crying a river over her son's acting career.

Although the 7th Heaven alum and husband Justin Timberlake's eldest son Silas, 11, made a brief cameo in her new movie Matchbox, he can say bye, bye, bye to ever leaning on their family name for a leg up.

"There are kids who work really hard, and they go to acting class and they're in theater class and they're doing all the work," Biel recalled telling their son during her Oct. 22 appearance on the Josh Smith's Great Chat Show podcast. "You can't just take a part from that person just because you're my son. That's not cool."

"We're not doing that," she continued. "This is a special opportunity because it's really teeny tiny. If you had a big monologue, I wouldn't let him do it. You would have to earn that part because we're not starting that."

Silas made a small appearance at the end of the Apple TV movie, where Biel's character Aimee asked the silent tween to get out of a truck. But the actress isn't interested in letting Silas or their younger son Phineas, 6, be entitled nepo babies.

As she put it, "We're not starting like, 'Oh, you just get handed a bunch of opportunities because you're part of this family."

But Silas quickly learned that being a working actor isn't necessarily heavenly.

"The first day he was on set, he didn't work at all," she explained. "He was so upset about it. He was like, 'I just don't understand. I've been here all day.' He got really mad about it. I was like, 'This is what this is.'"

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"They will call you in and they will sit for 12 hours," she told him. "It was the best lesson. And then I reminded him he was getting paid, and he was like, 'Oh, OK. I'm fine with this.'"

That said, Silas' time on set still hit all the right notes. After all, he even got to meet her costar John Cena.

"They're so funny," Biel told E! News earlier this month. "I feel like their brains implode whenever they come to set, especially a set like this, where there's a hero of theirs that they're meeting."

To see Timberlake and Biel's love during their coolest family moments, keep reading.

Instagram / Jessica Biel

Loving Hugs

See, all Jessical Biel wants Justin Timberlake to do is be her love.

"Happy Father’s Day to my spectacular husband who is one incredible dad," she wrote in a June 2025 Instagram of the father to sons Silas and Phineas. "And to all the other dads out there doing their thing. Leading with humility and vulnerability. Showin up with understanding and compassion, and always using humor to get through the hard stuff. Major respect and love to all y’all."

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Sk8er Bois

It appeared Silas and Phineas had that sunshine in their pockets, got that good soul in their feet. Jessica gave her Instagram followers a peek at their "family summer vibes" in an August 2025 post.

Instagram/ Jessica Biel

Birthday Dad

"You’re so many things to so many people," the 7th Heaven star wrote in a message for the singer's 43rd birthday in June 2024. "But to us you are THE ROCK. The rock we climb on, we lean against. The rock that shades us from the sun. And when we recline on you, as we always do, hopefully our butts will keep you eternally grounded and warm. We LOVE YOU."

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Backstage Pass

Justin and Jessica's sons rocked the singer's Forget Tomorrow World Tour merch when he kicked off the concert series in April 2024.

Instagram / Justin Timberlake

Mother & Son

Justin marked the his bride's 42nd birthday in March 2024 by sharing this peek at the actress hugging son Phineas.

Instagram / Justin Timberlake

Selfie at Sunset

Ain't another woman that could take her spot in Justin's life—or this March 2024 selfie.

Instagram / Justin Timberlake

Couple's Selfie

The Grammy winner also shared this snap of The Better Sister celeb in his birthday post.

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Group Hug

Jessica posted a sweet family snapshot as part of her Instagram tribute to Justin on Father's Day 2022.

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Family Band

Justin celebrated Father's Day 2022 by sharing a photo of his "two favorite melodies," sons Silas and Phineas, playing piano together.

Instagram / Jessica Biel

Seventh Heaven

Jessica marked her 40th birthday in 2022 with this blissed out pic.

Instagram / Jessica Biel

Just Desserts

Justin and Jessica said hi, hi, hi to a new decade, celebrating her 40th birthday with cake in 2022.

Instagram / Jessica Biel

Mama's Boys

Silas and Phin marked their mom's birthday with a special banner.

Instagram / @jessicabiel

A Walk to Remember

"Thankful for my guys," Jessica captioned heartwarming 2021 holiday snap. "Merry Christmas everybody!!"

Jessica Biel / Instagram

High Five

Jessica celebrated her "little man" on his fifth birthday in April 2020. "We’re at home, covered in legos and birthday cake right now..." she wrote in the Instagram tribute, "but I just found this pic on my phone from last summer and it made me so happy."

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Birthday Wishes

The Sinner actress marked her birthday on March 3, 2020 with a special cake and her one and only. "Celebrating my birthday in style... and by that I mean, in pajamas," she wrote on Instagram. "I made Justin PROMISE not to sing Happy Birthday to me, so he improvised. Sorry you can't hear it, but I'm still laughing. Thank you, you wonderful human, for really listening to me, and for throwing my kinda party. And thank YOU ALL for the birthday wishes. Feeling the love."

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Sweet Moments

On Valentine's Day 2020, Jessica shared a sweet picture of Justin and their son Silas on Instagram. She captioned it, "My valentines. Love you guys to the moon."

Instagram / Jessica Biel

Baby, You're a Firework

Justin, Jessica and son Silas celebrated Fourth of July in 2019 with balloons and patriotic garb.

Instagram / Justin Timberlake

Beach Babes

The trio spent Mother's Day in 2019 getting in touch with Mother Nature.

Jessica Biel / Instagram

Couple Goals

Jessica and Justin looked madly in love at her birthday party in March 2019.

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Block Party

The famous trio dressed up as Batman, Robin and Harley Quinn for Halloween 2018. "This Halloween was one hell of a block party!" she shared on Instagram. "Happy Halloween from our LEGO family to yours."

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Costume Winners

"They got candy? LEGO!" Justin joked of their 2018 Halloween looks.

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Look of Love

"To my husband who I watch with awe everyday as he guides and teaches, encourages and supports, and above all, LOVES the sh$t, out of his own young man," Jessica wrote on Instagram in 2018. "Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. We can't do this parenting thing without you."

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