A few months ago, the concept ‘nepo baby’ went viral on TikTok. It refers to all those celebrities who were already born with a well-known surname (either by their parents or by their uncles, as is Emma Roberts’s case).
The film and fashion industries are full of these celebrities who have had more opportunities thanks to their parent’s success, such as the sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid, Lily Collins, Zoe Kravitz, Kendall Jenner, Dakota Johnson or Hailey (Baldwin) Bieber.
The cover of New York Magazine
The term became even more popular a few weeks ago, when New York Magazine dedicated its cover to them, after some famous people, like Gwyneth Paltrow, complained that this label makes them uncomfortable.
The magazine did not exhaust its opportunity to cite names and relationships between characters in front of and behind the cameras. The cast includes the names of Maya Hawke, Kaia Gerber, Lily Collins, Brooklyn Beckham, Colin Hanks, and Zöe Kravitz, whose last names are in themselves eloquent regarding their origin. However, there are names whose origin does not seem easy to trace. So is the case of Timothée Chalamet, son of Nicole Flender (actress), grandson of Harold Flende (screenwriter and writer), and nephew of Rodman Flender (director).
Some critics pointed out that some of the inclusions on the Vulture compilation were exaggerated: Phoebe Bridgers, for example, was listed among the “industry babies” as “the daughter of a set builder”.
The main issue that Volture highlights is the fact that those whom it considers “children of nepotism” are famous for their origin, regardless of talent, something that collides with the world of art.
The article recalled some of the responses of the “nepo babies” mentioned when asked about their privileges. Maya Hawke told Rolling Stone that when it came to the “nepotism thing” she acknowledged that her lineage “definitely gives you huge advantages in this life” and while “you’ll get opportunities for free… the opportunities won’t be infinite”. Maude Apatow, for her part, said the label made her “sad” but that she tries “not to let it get to her because she obviously understands that (she’s) in a very lucky position.”
Unlike self-made bootstrappers and naturally talented nobodies, nepo babies start with an advantage — their parental connections — though many of them claim that their kinship is a burden when carving out their own name.
Last year, the craze for “nepo babies” skyrocketed after the second season of the controversial HBO series “Euphoria” aired. Some young viewers were surprised to learn that cast member Maude Apatow is the daughter of director Judd Apatow and actress Leslie Mann.
Lily-Rose Depp
The “nepo baby” debate reached a new level in November of 2022, when Lily-Rose Depp, daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, rejected the term in an interview with Elle: “The Internet cares much more who your family is than who chooses you for the roles. You may get your foot in the door, but you still only have your foot in the door. Then comes a lot of work.”
Critics swooped in, including rising supermodel Vittoria Ceretti, who has worked for fashion houses like Chanel (and for whom Depp has walked since her teens). “I have a lot of ‘nepo baby’ friends that I respect, but I can’t stand hearing how you compare yourself to me,” Ceretti said in an Instagram story. “I wasn’t born with a comfortable, sexy pillow with a view. I know it’s not your fault, but please appreciate and acknowledge where you came from.”
Hailey Bieber, proud nepo baby
Far from hiding, Hailey Bieber wore a basic, short-sleeved, white cropped T-shirt a few days ago, with said concept printed in the center.
It is not the first time that Bieber was involved in this particular speech. Last year, she invited Gwyneth Paltrow (daughter of actress Blythe Danner and producer Bruce Paltrow) to her YouTube series ‘Who’s In My Bathroom’. There, Paltrow expressed the most controversial view: that the children of people in the industry work harder than those without connections to prove themselves. After Paltrow said that the children of rising celebrities shouldn’t limit themselves, Bieber said she “needed to hear that today”.
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