I guess we can all only hope that Alan gets to work next to people he likes and trusts. Perhaps even people who recognized as talented indeviduals who deserve the parts.
Alan's been acting for quite some time and if these actors/actresses have his ear then perhaps it's to their favour that Alan has the ear of the director. Remember it's not *What* you know, it's *Who* you know and *Who* you know can always be to your benefit. So what if Alan put in a good word for these people whom he knows from having worked with them before. We all enjoy their acting abilities when we watch the movies and i'm sure we all should be thanking Alan for having put in a good word for them after we've watched these movies.