Elizabeth Hurley’s Son Damian Dismisses ‘Nepo Baby’ Term, Says Moviemaking Is ‘Blood, Sweat and Tears’ (Exclusive)

The 22-year-old filmmaker wrote and directed the new thriller 'Strictly Confidential,' starring his mother Elizabeth

Damian Hurley, the son of British actress and model Elizabeth Hurley, has been called a “nepo baby” by some media outlets. But the 22-year-old filmmaker is shaking off the term, which was coined on TikTok and refers to the child of a famous person pursuing a similar career.

“Obviously having the connections that I do absolutely got me in the door to start with,” Damian, whose A-list godfathers include Hugh Grant, Elton John and David Furnish, tells PEOPLE. “I'd like to think I've kept myself there.”

“There’s nothing remotely glamorous about making a movie — it’s blood, sweat and tears. And if you don’t make it, you’re cut within seconds,” continues Damian, who wrote and directed the thriller Strictly Confidential, which stars his mother.

Related: Elizabeth Hurley and Son Damian's 'Twin-Like' Bond Made Working on Their New Thriller 'Phenomenal' (Exclusive)

Damian has wanted to be a filmmaker since his mother, who has starred in movies such as Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, gave him a camcorder as a gift when he was a child.

“From that moment on, he literally filmed us nonstop,” Elizabeth tells PEOPLE. “He wrote scripts. He bullied every friend and family member into making his little mini films, which he carefully wrote out in a Word document as a script before he started.”

As for those who played starring roles in his early movies? “I tortured pretty much everyone. I tortured, obviously Mum, I tortured my godfather, Hugh, a lot. My former stepfather, Shane played many a lead role,” says Damian, referring to Elizabeth’s then-fiance, the late cricket player Shane Warne.

After Elizabeth welcomed Damian (whose biological father is late American film producer Steve Bing) in 2002, she took “seven or eight years” off from filming “for the very reason that I didn't want him to grow up on a set and having tutors in a trailer and stuff. I wanted him to have a very regular life,” she explains.

But when she went back to work for a stint on the original Gossip Girl in 2011, Damian joined her and was transfixed. “He loved it. He loved it so much,” she continues. “And he was like, "Oh, I wish all my life had been like this." I was like, ‘Ah, I gave up eight years, so you wouldn't have this.’ So that was one of life's ironies.”

Related: Elizabeth Hurley Shrugs Off ‘Fuss’ Over Her Movie Sex Scene Son Damian Directed: ‘Felt Comfortable’ (Exclusive)

Damian has worked consistently throughout his teens, first in a guest spot on E!’s The Royals, which also starred his mother, and later as a model, doing campaigns for makeup artist Pat McGrath’s skin-care line.

For the moment, he’s focusing on movies. Now that Strictly Confidential is out, he’s turning his attention to another movie he’s working on with Elizabeth (she’ll produce but not star).

Will he enlist his famous godfather Elton John for a future project? Before Damian can answer, Elizabeth chimes in, “We’d like to.”

Strictly Confidential is in theaters and on VOD now.

For more on Damian and Elizabeth Hurley, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE. 

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